ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Bovine Tuberculosis

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 25 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 377-9W, on bovine tuberculosis, in how many  (a) counties and  (b) parishes in England bovine tuberculosis had not been confirmed in the preceding four years in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2008.

Jane Kennedy: Total numbers are as follows:
	 (a)(i) Counties(1) in England where bovine tuberculosis had not been confirmed 1994-97: 14.
	 (a)(ii)Counties(1) in England where bovine tuberculosis had not been confirmed 2005-08: six.
	 (b)(i) Number of parishes in England without a confirmed bovine TB incident 1994-97: 10,199.
	 (b)(ii) Number of parishes in England without a confirmed bovine TB incident 2005-08: 8,670.
	(1) Counties as recorded on the Animal Health Vetnet system.
	 Source:
	Data for these answers have been drawn from the Animal Health Vetnet system, the TB in Cattle System and the Veterinary Laboratories Agency's TB Culture System.

Departmental Computers

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many laptop computers have been provided to  (a) Ministers,  (b) special advisers and  (c) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005; and at what cost.

Huw Irranca-Davies: DEFRA outsourced IT provision to IBM in 2004, where the Department pays a service charge for provision and maintenance of desktop systems based on a usage model, i.e. we are charged for the number of laptops used on the estate each month as staff numbers change. DEFRA monitors the consumption of services rather the stock holding of laptops. Service consumption is managed in accordance with a device policy that limits users to a single laptop by default. Exceptions to the single device policy will include kit available for hot desks, training rooms, special needs/power users.
	We are unable to provide a breakdown of past usage as this would require a manual trawl of historical data that would incur disproportionate cost. We have provided the usage figures for March 2009 for the core-Department for information:
	 (a) Ministers: two;
	 (b) Special advisers: two
	 (c) Civil servants: 3,301(1)
	DEFRA cannot provide information on the costs associated with IBM's laptop services, as this would put the Department in breach of its confidentiality undertakings to IBM.
	(1) On the assumption that civil servants equates to end users—i.e. both civil servants and contractors working within the Department.

Departmental Personnel

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the answer of 29 September 2008,  Official Report, column 2413W, on departmental personnel, how many staff without posts there are in  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies; how many of the staff without posts were classified as such upon return from maternity leave; and how many of the staff without posts have been classified as such for at least (i) six and (ii) 12 months.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The number of people in the Department and our agencies without posts has reduced significantly since our answer of 29 September 2008 from 89 to six. Five of these staff are in core DEFRA and one is in the Animal Health Agency.
	With regard to these six that remain without posts:
	 (a) None of the people were classified as being without posts as a result of returning from maternity leave.
	 (b) (i) None have been classified as such less than 12 months; (ii) six have been classified as such for at least 12 months.
	All of these individuals are actively undertaking job search opportunities, have been offered outplacement support and, where possible, have been undertaking short-term assignments.
	We are, in the near future, expecting this total of six without posts to reduce further still. This is due either as a result of the individuals being successful in finding a new role within the civil service or, where this proves not possible, moving towards redundancy.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 16 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 826-7W, on economic situation, what expenditure under what budgetary heading  (a) his Department incurred in relation to its internal conference for members of the senior Civil Service held in October 2008 and  (b) follow up workshops expenditure.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The cost of the senior civil service conference in October 2008 was £16,064.76. £6,687.11 was spent on venue hire and catering and £9,377.65 was spent on facilitation of the event.
	There were no costs incurred for the following workshops.

Domestic Waste: Fixed Penalties

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when information on the number of fixed penalty notices issued for household waste receptacle offences in 2007-08 will be published.

Jane Kennedy: Figures for fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for waste receptacle offences in 2007-08 are not yet available.
	We expect to publish figures on FPNs issued for these and other environmental crimes for the years 2007-08 and 2008-09 on the DEFRA website in June 2009.

Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department's research project WR0105 "Project REDUCE monitoring and evaluation—developing tools to measure waste prevention" has been completed; and what funding the EU INTERREG programme provided for the project.

Jane Kennedy: Output from the project (WR0105) "Project REDUCE Monitoring and Evaluation: Developing Tools to Measure Waste Prevention" has been incorporated into the review study referred to in the response to the hon. Member for Peterborough (Mr. Jackson) on 14 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1050W, on Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal, and will be published at the same time, later in 2009.
	No funding from the EU Interreg programme was provided for the project.

Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which local authorities are participating in the research project, "Understanding waste growth at local authority level" WR0121; and what budget his Department has set for the programme.

Jane Kennedy: The local authorities providing case study information for "Understanding waste growth at local authority level" (WR0121) are:
	Ribble Valley Borough Council,
	East Riding of Yorkshire Council,
	Hambleton District Council,
	Broadland District Council,
	Hart District Council,
	London Borough of Islington,
	South Norfolk District Council,
	Hyndburn Borough Council,
	Mole Valley District Council,
	Milton Keynes Council,
	Basildon District Council,
	Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council,
	Wakefield Council,
	Sandwell MBC,
	London Borough of Sutton,
	Birmingham City Council,
	Tonbridge and Mailing Borough Council,
	Somerset County Council,
	Stirling Council,
	Cardiff City Council,
	Powys County Council,
	Derby City Council,
	Rother District Council,
	Rhondda Cynon Taf,
	Flintshire County Council,
	Belfast City Council,
	Down District Council; and
	West Dunbartonshire Council.
	The budget for this project is £90,585 in total (£85,585 from DEFRA and £5,000 from the Welsh Assembly Government).

Fisheries: Western Sahara

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance his Department has issued to the fishing fleet on the status of  (a) Western Sahara and  (b) waters off Western Sahara; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: DEFRA has not issued any information to the UK fishing fleet operating in Morocco about the status of Western Sahara or waters off Western Sahara. UK vessels that fish in these waters do so under the provisions of the EU/Morocco Fisheries Partnership Agreement, and are advised to ensure compliance at all times.

Fruit

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the  (a) quantity and  (b) monetary value of soft fruit produced in England in each of the last 10 years.

Jane Kennedy: Data are available for England and Wales combined rather than just for England, but since the majority of the soft fruit is grown in England these figures will largely reflect soft fruit grown in England. The estimates for quantity and value are presented in the following table. Figures for 2008 are provisional. Quantity information is in thousand tonnes and the value of production is in £ million.
	
		
			  Production of soft fruit in England and Wales, 1998 to 2008 
			   Soft fruit value  (£ million)  Volume (Thousand tonnes) 
			 1998 109.6 48.7 
			 1999 122.5 56.6 
			 2000 112.8 51.0 
			 2001 101.2 50.5 
			 2002 121.2 54.9 
			 2003 137.7 63.8 
			 2004 133.3 69.4 
			 2005 180.1 83.3 
			 2006 184.6 88.7 
			 2007 228.8 102.8 
			 2008 (provisional) 282.9 115.2

Incinerators

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his Department's policy on the incineration of household waste in municipal incinerators is.

Jane Kennedy: The Government believe that household waste should, where possible, be minimised and then reused, recycled or composted. Waste remaining after these processes is termed residual waste; the Government are committed to maximising energy recovered from residual waste.
	Recovering energy from residual waste avoids the methane emissions arising from sending it to landfill. It also generates energy, which can offset power sourced from fossil fuel.
	DEFRA has not generally expressed a preference for one technology over another, with the exception of anaerobic digestion, for treating food waste. Any given technology is more beneficial if both heat and electricity can be recovered. The technology choice needs to reflect local circumstances, which will vary, but we expect greenhouse gas emissions to be a key consideration for those developing waste to energy plants.

Noise: Airports

John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects the final guidance to airport operators on preparing noise action plans in accordance with the European environmental noise directive to be published.

Huw Irranca-Davies: holding answer 23 April 2009
	DEFRA consulted on Guidance for Airport Operators on noise action plans in September 2008. The consultation period finished at the end of November and the responses received were evaluated. After making some amendments the final version of the guidance was published in March and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

Parish Councils

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which parish councils have been awarded quality parish status to date.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Currently there are 681 Quality Parish Councils. A regularly updated list of all Quality Parish Councils can be found on:
	www.nalc.gov.uk

Radioactive Waste: Waste Management

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what expressions of interest his Department has received from local authorities to host nuclear waste disposal sites further to the consultation on managing radioactive waste safety.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	Geological disposal involves placing higher activity radioactive waste in an engineered underground containment facility designed so that natural barriers and man-made barriers work together to minimise the escape of radioactivity over the long timescales required to allow the radioactivity to decay.
	Coupled with the "Managing Radioactive Waste Safely" White Paper published on 12 June 2008, was an invite to communities to 'express an interest' in entering without commitment discussions on the possibility of hosting a geological disposal facility at some point in the future.
	Since then expressions of interest have been made by Copeland borough council (July 2008), Cumbria county council (December 2008) and Allerdale borough council (February 2009).
	The option to express an interest will be left open for the foreseeable future and we hope that this is the beginning of a number of approaches to Government.

Rural Areas: Roads

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the research report "Potential impacts of national road user charging in rural areas: a scoping study", commissioned by his Department.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The report, "Potential Impacts of National Road user Charging in Rural Areas: a Scoping Study to Identify Required Research" was commissioned by DEFRA's Rural Evidence Research Centre and was published in September 2006, copies will be placed in the Library of the House.

TRANSPORT

Bus Services: Public Consultation

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice his Department provides to local authorities on taking account of the views of local residents in the provision of bus services.

Paul Clark: Local authorities plan their policies on the provision of bus services in the context of their local transport plans. Guidance from the Department for Transport advises widespread consultation on these plans. In addition, S108 of the Transport Act 2000, as amended by S9 of the Local Transport Act 2008, places certain statutory requirements on local transport authorities, including the obligation to consult organisations appearing to the authority to be representative of the interests of users of transport services and facilities in their area.

Driving Tests

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many individuals have taken the driving theory test in each year since its introduction; in how many cases a voiceover has been used for those whose first language is not English; and how many requests have been submitted for the driving theory test to be taken in a foreign language.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of individuals taking the theory test for all categories since 2004-05 was:
	
		
			   Number of individuals taking theory test 
			 2008-09 (up to February 2009) 1,008,255 
			 2007-08 1,201,883 
			 2006-07 1,109,366 
			 2005-06 1,095,642 
			 2004-05 885,298 
		
	
	The following number of theory tests have had voice-overs in either English or non-English languages. English voiceovers have been included because some candidates may understand spoken English, but not written English.
	
		
			   Total number of voiceovers  Number of English voiceovers  Number of non-English voiceovers 
			 2008-09 (up to February 2009) 172,560 95,271 77,289 
			 2007-08 211,553 108,716 102,837 
			 2006-07 175,524 82,721 92,803 
			 2005-06 156,390 72,658 83,732 
			 2004-05 147,756 68,049 79,707 
		
	
	Candidates can independently obtain the services of a Driving Standards Agency (DSA)-approved translator. The following theory tests were conducted using either a non-English voiceover, or a DSA-approved translator.
	
		
			   Number of theory tests taken with translators  Total number of theory tests with translators or with non-English voiceovers 
			 2008-09 (up to February 2009) 1,263 78,552 
			 2007-08 996 103,833 
			 2006-07 914 93,717 
			 2005-06 995 84,727 
			 2004-05 805 80,512

Driving Tests: Greater London

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average waiting time was for a driving test in  (a) the London Borough of Bexley and  (b) Greater London in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The average waiting times at practical driving test centres in  (a) the London borough of Bexley and  (b) Greater London on 20 April (the latest period for which figures are available) were as follows:
	
		
			  Waiting time (Weeks) 
			   Car  Bike (Module 1)  Bike (Module 2)  Vocational 
			  (a) London borough of Bexley 6.3 5 2 — 
			  (b) Greater London 9 8 2 1 
		
	
	The waiting times by test centres are updated and published on the Driving Standards Agency's website every Monday at:
	www.dsa.gov.uk

Driving Tests: Greater Manchester

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average waiting time was between applying for and taking a driving test in Greater Manchester on the latest date for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Based on the latest available figures, the average waiting times for practical driving tests in Greater Manchester are:
	
		
			   Average waiting time (weeks) 
			 Car 4.9 
			 Bike (Module 1) 2 
			 Bike (Module 2) 2 
			 Lorry and Bus 1 
		
	
	The most recent practical test waiting times by test centre are published on the Driving Standards Agency's website:
	www.dsa.gov.uk
	They are updated every Monday.

Driving: Licensing

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of licence renewal application forms have been lost by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency prior to processing in each of the last five years; and what percentage of lost forms were subsequently traced in each year.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) does not hold the information in the requested format.
	However, a measure of process accuracy and loss is available from complaints statistics. In the financial year 2008 to 2009, DVLA issued 8.6 million driving licences. In the same period it received 1,584 driving licence related complaints (including medically related complaints). The Driver and Vehicle Agency does not hold a record of the numbers of driving licence applications lost before being processed at the Agency, nor those which are subsequently traced within the Agency.

Motorway Service Areas

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department has provided to private contractors who operate motorway service stations on their parking charges.

Paul Clark: Department for Transport Circular 1/2008, published on 2 April 2008, sets out the Department's policy on service areas and other roadside facilities on motorways and all purpose trunk roads in England.
	Under the circular, signed service areas on motorways and all purpose trunk roads in England are required to provide free parking for up to two hours for all vehicle types. The circular allows service area operators to charge for parking after the initial two hour period.
	A copy of circular 01/2008 is available on the Department's website and can be accessed using the following web link:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pqr/roads/network/policy

Parking

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department has issued since January 2008 to local authorities on the width and length of parking bays; what representations he has received on the issue since January 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: No guidance has been issued since January 2008. The width and length of parking bay markings is prescribed in regulations and detailed guidance on their use is contained in the Traffic Signs Manual, Chapter 5 - Road Markings (2003). This document is on the Department for Transport's website at the following address:
	www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tss/tsmanual/trafficsignsmanual chapter5.pdf
	We have received no formal proposals for changes to regulations or guidance. However, from time to time we do receive applications from local highways authorities for authorisation of narrow and/or shorter bays where exceptional site conditions prevent the use of prescribed markings.

Railways

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on negotiation on the terms of premium payment obligations with train operating companies which indicate they may default on them.

Paul Clark: holding answer 24 April 2009
	It is the policy of the Department for Transport not to renegotiate existing franchise agreements. We expect our suppliers to deliver their franchise obligations.

Railways: Alcoholic Drinks

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make an assessment of the merits of prohibiting the consumption of alcohol on the rail network.

Paul Clark: Train companies can already prohibit alcohol on trains using their powers under the railway byelaws. This in turn prevents alcohol being consumed on trains. The byelaws also permit train companies and the police to remove disorderly passengers from trains and stations as well as prosecute for antisocial behaviour.

Railways: Concessions

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will hold discussions with representatives of the train operating companies to consider the provision of free travel for the unemployed in order to attend job interviews.

Paul Clark: Discussions on this subject have already taken place, along with other fiscal stimulus ideas. At present no firm proposals have been developed.

Roads

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance is issued to local highways authorities on reduction of guardrail street clutter on road crossings.

Paul Clark: This month the Department for Transport published Local Transport Note 2/09 Pedestrian Guardrailing, which provides guidance for local highway authorities on the provision and removal of pedestrian guardrail at locations such as road crossings. In March last year the Department published Local Transport Note 1/08 Traffic Management and Streetscape, which provides more general guidance on how local highway authorities can minimise street clutter when designing traffic management schemes. Both publications are available via the Department's website.

Roads: Accidents

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents on shared surface roads have been recorded in each local authority area in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested is not available. The shared surface roads where the kerb is either low or at same level as the road surface cannot be distinguished separately in the reported personal injury road accident dataset.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Parliament Square: Demonstrations

David Amess: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what discussions the House of Commons Commission has had with the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis about the demonstration which took place in Parliament Square on 20 April 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: The House of Commons Commission has not had contact with the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis; as Mr. Speaker has said in the House the Serjeant at Arms is his contact with the Commissioner on all such matters.

Temperature

Andrew Turner: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what the average temperature in  (a) Norman Shaw North,  (b) Norman Shaw South,  (c) Portcullis House and  (d) those parts of the Palace of Westminster for which the House of Commons Commission is responsible was in each of the last 12 months.

Nick Harvey: The Commission is unable to provide these figures as the building management system, controlling heating, power, lighting and ventilation on the Parliamentary Estate, retains temperature records for only three days.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Departmental Land

Nick Gibb: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners how many applications for succession of tenancy under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 on land owned by the Church Commissioners have been made in the last five years; and how many of them were opposed by the Church Commissioners.

Stuart Bell: The Commissioners do not record the number of applications made for succession of tenancy under the 1986 Act. However, I can tell the hon. Gentleman that one such application was opposed by the Commissioners in the last five years.

Farms

Nick Gibb: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners how many rent review notices were served by the Church Commissioners on their agricultural tenants in  (a) 2007,  (b) 2008 and  (c) 2009 to date; how many of those rent reviews for which notices were served in each period have not been settled; and if he will make a statement.

Stuart Bell: The specific information requested in the first part of the hon. Gentleman's question is not readily available within the time scale required. I can tell him that 174 notices were extant at the end of 2008 but I should add the caveat that rent review notices have to be served at least 12 months before the review date, so these notices will cover a wide period.
	By way of a statement, the Church Commissioners' agents continue to negotiate with tenants and their agents for those reviews that are still outstanding.

Farms

Nick Gibb: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what the average length of term offered on new farm business tenancies on the Church Commissioner's rural estate was in the latest period for which information is available.

Stuart Bell: During 2008, the average length of term offered on new farm business tenancies for the Commissioners' rural estate was four years.

Farms

Nick Gibb: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what area of land is let by the Church Commissioners to farm tenants under  (a) the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 and  (b) the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995.

Stuart Bell: 31,080 hectares are let to farm tenants under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 and 9,055 hectares under the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995.

Farms

Nick Gibb: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners how many agricultural tenants the Church Commissioners have in England regulated under the  (a) Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 and  (b) Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995.

Stuart Bell: The Commissioners have 230 agricultural tenants in England regulated under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 and 122 under the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995.

Farms

Nick Gibb: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners how many hectares of agricultural land are owned by the Church Commissioners in England.

Stuart Bell: Approximately 40,315 hectares of agricultural land in England are owned by the Church Commissioners.

OLYMPICS

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Paul Goodman: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many officials for which she is responsible are suspended; how many are suspended on full pay; for how long each has been suspended; and what the reasons are for each such suspension.

Tessa Jowell: No member of staff in my private office is suspended.
	Staff working in the Government Olympic Executive report to me through the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and will therefore be included in the answer by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

Departmental Energy

Greg Clark: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what recent progress her Office has made towards the Government's target of increasing its energy efficiency per square metre of the Government Estate by 15 per cent. by 2010, relative to 1999-2000; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: I refer to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office (Kevin Brennan) on 26 March 2009,  Official Report, column 711W.

Departmental Furniture

Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how much was spent by her Office on furniture in each of the last five years.

Tessa Jowell: Details of any Cabinet Office payments in 2008-09 will be available only when the Department's resource accounts are fully audited and laid before Parliament. This is expected to be before the summer recess.
	In September 2008 the Minister for the Olympics moved to a new office at 2-4 Cockspur Street which needed to be fully furnished. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport subsequently spent £14,656 on furniture for this office.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Members: Allowances

Dai Davies: To ask the Leader of the House what account she took of submissions made to the Members' Estimate Committee in preparing the proposals to alter hon. Members' allowances announced on 21 April 2009.

Chris Bryant: A range of information and views have been considered.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Community Pubs Inquiry Report

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made in finalising the Government's response to the Community Pubs Inquiry Report; and when it will be published.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I am currently finalising the Government's response to the Community Pubs Inquiry Report and shall publish it shortly.

Culture: Olympic Games 2012

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the component parts of tier  (a) two and  (b) three of the Cultural Olympiad are; what the cost of each part is estimated to be; and what the source of funding of each part is.

Barbara Follett: The Cultural Olympiad is a four-year developing programme of cultural activity, comprising ceremonies (formerly tier one); major projects (formerly tier two); and Inspire Mark projects (formerly tier three).
	Around 10 national major projects will take place across the country. Each major project is at a different stage of development. The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympics Games (LOCOG) are working with their partners to develop the detailed plan for each of these projects, which includes a consideration of costs and options for funding. So far, LOCOG seed funding together with a range of partners including DCMS NDPBs, cultural organisations, and the Legacy Trust, plan to spend at least £40 million.
	Inspire Mark projects within the Cultural Olympiad will focus on local and regional cultural activity. The content, cost and funding for these projects is determined by the organisations choosing to take advantage of this opportunity. Already, 50 projects within the Cultural Olympiad have been awarded the Inspire Mark.

Departmental Billing

John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of invoices his Department has paid within 10 days of receipt in each of the last five months.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department's performance of payment of invoices within 10 days of receipt in each of last five months is set out in the table.
	
		
			   Percentage of invoices paid within 10 working days 
			  2008  
			 November 43 
			 December 77 
			  2009  
			 January 80 
			 February 87 
			 March 88

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many officials in his Department are suspended; how many are suspended on full pay; for how long each has been suspended; and what the reasons are for each such suspension.

Gerry Sutcliffe: We currently have no officials on suspension in the Department.

Departmental Training

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what his Department's policy is on holding departmental away days at locations other than departmental premises.

Gerry Sutcliffe: My Department does not have an away day policy and there are no central rules governing the holding of departmental away days.
	The Department encourages teams to undertake staff away days and staff team building exercises as part of its commitment to the development of its staff and to improving performance.
	All expenditure on away days is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and Treasury guidance on Managing Public Money and Regularity, Propriety and Value for Money.

Departmental Visits Abroad

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much expenditure was incurred in respect of overseas visits which  (a) he,  (b) other Ministers in his Department and  (c) his Department's senior officials undertook in 2008.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Since 1999, the Government have published a list of all overseas travel by Cabinet Ministers costing over £500. Information for the financial year 2007-08 was published on 22 July 2008,  Official Report, column 102WS, and for the first time, included details of overseas visits undertaken by all Ministers. All travel by Ministers is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code.
	Department for Culture, Media and Sport do not keep information on the cost of overseas travel specifically by senior officials within the Department.

Film: Licensing

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 29 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 687-8W, on film: licensing, whether local residents within a local authority area may submit for review the classification of a film shown in cinemas within the area on grounds that it contravenes the licence.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The exhibition of a film is regulated entertainment under Schedule 1 of the Licensing Act 2003. If a premises licence or club premises certificate authorises the exhibition of a film, sections 20 or 74 of the Act make it mandatory for a condition to be included in the premises licence or certificate requiring the admission of children to films to be restricted in accordance with recommendations given either by the British Board of Film Classification or by the licensing authority itself.
	The Licensing Authority can choose to adopt its own classification, although the Guidance issued under the Licensing Act recommends that licensing authorities should not duplicate the effort underpinning the BBFC's classification.
	A licence or certificate could be revoked or withdrawn on an application for review by an interested party (which could include a local resident), if the licence or certificate owner breached the mandatory condition outlined above, or otherwise acted in a way which contravened the licensing objectives.
	Local residents would not, however, have a basis for challenging the classification of a film by the BBFC or the local authority under the Licensing Act 2003. The classification decision is a matter which falls outside the regulation of the premises licence or club premises certificate under the Licensing Act 2003. To challenge a classification of a film given by the BBFC or the local authority, local residents would have to pursue alternative avenues e.g. seek a judicial review.

Libraries: Closures

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in respect of which local authorities he has used his powers under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 to intervene in relation to a proposed library closure since May 1997; on what dates each such intervention was made; and what the outcome of such intervention was in each case.

Barbara Follett: Before my right hon. friend the Secretary of State announced an inquiry into library closures in the Wirral in April 2009, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport had not used his powers under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 to intervene in relation to a proposed library closure since the early 1990s when closures in Derbyshire were investigated.

Sports: Young People

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent estimate he has made of the number and proportion of young people who cease participating in sport upon leaving school.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The available information is set out in the reply I gave to the hon. Member on this subject on 27 January 2009,  Official Report, column 363W.
	During the ages of 16 to 19, the period when young people leave school, sport participation(1) drops by seven percentage points, (or the equivalent of 42,000 participants) from a participation rate of 37.4 per cent. at age 16, to a participation rate of 30.4 per cent. at age 19.
	(1) Participation is defined as the percentage of the adult population participating in at least 30 minutes of sport, to at least moderate intensity, at least three times a week.
	
		
			  Age  Percentage  Number of participants 
			 16 37.41 251,370 
			 17 34.60 230,829 
			 18 31.14 208,625 
			 19 30.40 209,368 
			  Source:  Sport England's Active People Survey 2 (October 2007 to October 2008).

Tourism

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what meetings  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in his Department have had with boards of regional development agencies on tourism in England in the last 12 months.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Ministers and officials in my Department have not had meetings with boards of regional development agencies in the last 12 months. They have, however, met chairs together with other Government Departments and met individual board members from time to time to discuss key policy areas such as tourism development, culture and regeneration, and the creative industries.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Courts

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many live summonses have not been served in Northern Ireland because the individual to be summonsed could not be traced in each year from 2004-05 to 2008-09.

Vera Baird: I have been asked to reply.
	The PPS does not collect data in a way that allows the question to be answered directly. The PPS commenced operation in June 2005 and was fully rolled out throughout all of Northern Ireland by October 2007. Since 2005 to the end of the financial year 2008-09 the PPS issued over 100,000 summonses. Of that number approximately 3,000 remain unserved because police have been unable to locate the individual. These remain as "live" summonses and attempts to serve continue. Over 80 per cent. of summons, whether served by post or by way of personal service, are successfully served at the first attempt
	Decisions in respect of prosecution remain under review and where a summons cannot be served in spite of repeated attempts by police (generally a minimum of four) and police are unable to locate the individual, the case can be referred back to a PPS prosecutor for a formal review.
	In circumstances where a significant period of time has elapsed since the issue of the initial summons and/or the offences are minor in nature, the Prosecutor may consider that the Test for Prosecution is no longer met. Over the period 1 January 2006 to 30 September 2008, a total of 61 no prosecution decisions have been recorded by the PPS as a result of such reviews.

Departmental Assets

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when his Department last reviewed its assets and land and property holdings with a view to identifying and disposing of surpluses.

Paul Goggins: As part of the 2007 comprehensive spending review, the Department prepared an Asset Management Strategy, available at:
	http://www.nio.gov.uk/nio_asset_management_strategy_-_feb08_-_published.pdf
	covering the financial years 2008-09 to 2010-11. This includes plans to dispose of assets and land and property holdings worth £27 million. These plans are regularly reviewed to identify surplus assets.

Departmental Billing

John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of invoices his Department has paid within 10 days of receipt in each of the last five months.

Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office, excluding its agencies and executive NDPBs, paid the following percentages of invoices within 10 days of receipt in each of the last five months:
	November 2008: 59 per cent.
	December 2008: 83 per cent.
	January 2009: 79 per cent.
	February 2009: 83 per cent.
	March 2009: 82 per cent.

Departmental ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate has been made of the proportion of personal computers in each of his Department's offices that are turned off  (a) overnight,  (b) at weekends and  (c) during holiday periods; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: All Northern Ireland Office staff have been issued with guidance on shutdown procedures for personal computers when they are not in use. From figures that are held it has been estimated that over 70 per cent. are turned off overnight, at weekends and during holiday periods.

Electoral Register

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the timetable was for the introduction of individual electoral registration in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: In March 2001, the Government published a White Paper on Combating Electoral Fraud in Northern Ireland which discussed the introduction of individual registration. The Electoral Fraud (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 Received Royal assent on 1 May 2002 and contained provisions that would introduce individual registration to Northern Ireland. These provisions were commenced on 1 September 2002. See Article 3 of the Electoral Fraud (Northern Ireland) Order 2002
	http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2002/20021648.htm

Electoral Register

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many electoral identity cards have been  (a) issued and  (b) reported as lost or stolen in each year since they were introduced in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: This is an operational matter for the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland. The right hon. Member may wish to write to him directly.

Electoral Register

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of  (a) postal vote applications,  (b) proxy vote applications and  (c) postal vote ballot papers in Northern Ireland are checked with the personal identifiers held on the elector; and which of the three personal identifiers are used to verify (i) postal vote applications, (ii) proxy vote applications and (iii) postal vote ballot papers.

Paul Goggins: Sections 6 and 7 of the Representation of the People Act 1985 provide that all postal and proxy vote applications in Northern Ireland must include details of the three personal identifiers (national insurance number (or a statement that the applicant does not have one), date of birth and signature) and the registration officer must be satisfied that these details are consistent with information already provided to him by the applicant. In order to be deemed to be returned, postal vote ballot papers must be accompanied by a declaration of identity which includes the date of birth and signature of the elector which are consistent with information already provided by the applicant.
	The Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland acts as both returning officer and registration officer for Northern Ireland and queries relating to the checks that he undertakes to ensure that the legislative requirements outlined above are met should be made to him directly.

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to maintain public confidence in the efficiency of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: The Government have established the Northern Ireland Policing Board (NIPB) with a statutory duty to ensure that the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is effective and efficient. The NIPB holds at least eight meetings in public each year. The purpose of these meetings is to receive a report on policing from the Chief Constable and to hold him to account publicly for the performance of the police service. The efficiency of the Service's performance is naturally an element in that process of accountability.
	Each year, the NIPB in consultation with the Chief Constable publishes a Continuous Improvement Plan with the intention of fulfilling the respective responsibilities of the Board and the Chief Constable to ensure that the resources entrusted to them are effectively, efficiently and economically used.

Prisoners Release

Robert Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners serving sentences for each category of offence have been released on licence under the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998; and how many such prisoners were classified as belonging to a ( a) loyalist and  (b) republican organisation.

Paul Goggins: 452 persons have been released on licence under the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998. Of these 242 were affiliated to republican organisations, 197 to loyalist organisations and 13 had no recorded affiliation. The numbers of those released by the main category of offence for which they were convicted are shown in the following table.
	
		
			Affiliation 
			  Offence  Number  Republican  Loyalist  None 
			  Life Sentence Prisoners 
			 Murder 154 69 82 3 
			 Explosives offences 5 5 0 0 
			 Total 159 74 82 3 
			  
			  Fixed Sentence Prisoners 
			 Attempted murder 67 41 24 2 
			 Conspiracy to murder 68 42 24 2 
			 Manslaughter 7 1 5 1 
			 Threats to kill 5 0 5 0 
			 Directing terrorism 1 0 1 0 
			 Explosives offences 50 45 5 0 
			 Firearms and ammunition offences 48 25 23 0 
			 Robbery/burglary offences 24 3 16 5 
			 Kidnapping offences 5 3 2 0 
			 Blackmail 2 0 2 0 
			 Hijacking 2 0 2 0 
			 Grievous bodily harm 6 2 4 0 
			 Conspiracy to commit arson 1 1 0 0 
			 Assisting offenders 2 1 1 0 
			 Belonging to a proscribed organisation 1 1 0 0 
			 Conspiring with others to further criminal means 1 0 1 0 
			 Possession of materials for the purpose of terrorism 3 3 0 0 
			 Total 293 168 115 10

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan: Drugs

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken to persuade farmers in Afghanistan to diversify crop production away from poppy production; what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of such initiatives; what estimate he has made of the costs incurred to date; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: Progress is being made on promoting legal crop growing and on reducing poppy production in Afghanistan. The number of poppy free provinces has increased from three in 2006 to 13 in 2007 and 18 in 2008. Poppy cultivation fell in 2008 by 19 per cent. across Afghanistan, and the percentage of agricultural land devoted to poppy growing has fallen to just 2 per cent.
	The UK Government support the Government of Afghanistan's National Drug Control Strategy (NDCS) by creating immediate and long-term opportunities for legal livelihoods.
	The Department for International Development (DFID) and the World Bank jointly funded an assessment of the economic incentives of development initiatives designed to reduce opium production. This is available at:
	http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/SOUTHASIAEXT/0,,contentMDK:21636749~pagePK:146736~piPK:146830~theSitePK:223547,00.html
	Our support to licit livelihoods takes account of the key findings of this study.
	Between 2006-09 DFID spent over £62 million promoting legal livelihoods and has pledged £60 million in support of national agricultural and rural development programmes and £68 million for relevant work in Helmand province between 2009-10 and 2012-13. This support will be aligned with the NDCS, Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS) and the key findings of the 'Economic Incentives' report.

Afghanistan: Life Expectancy

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the effect of the military conflict in Afghanistan on the life expectancy of children and adults in that country; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: It is not possible to estimate the effect of the military conflict in Afghanistan on the life expectancy of children and adults.
	Data for life expectancy and infant mortality in Afghanistan are produced by the United Nations (UN) and available online at:
	http://hdrstats.undp.org/countries/data sheets/cty_ds_AFG.html

Afghanistan: Reconstruction

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of co-operation between EU member states on work on Afghanistan's development and reconstruction strategy; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: The implementation of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS) in June 2008 has improved co-operation between EU member states. International donors are now aligning their support behind a nationally-owned and implemented strategy for development and reconstruction.
	EU member states meet regularly to review the European Commission's Country Strategy for Afghanistan (2007-13). The EU Code of Conduct on the Division of Labour in Development Policy guides discussions on how member states will support the Government of Afghanistan.
	EU member states also support the overall co-ordinating role of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). The Government of Afghanistan and UNAMA recently secured EU member state and other donor support for new nationally-led strategies for private sector development and agriculture.

Afghanistan: Water

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the proportion of the Afghan population with access to clean water supplies  (a) in 2000 and  (b) at the latest date for which information is available.

Gareth Thomas: Historical data on Afghanistan are poor and it is not possible to provide an estimate of the proportion of the Afghan population with access to clean water supplies in 2000.
	The Government of Afghanistan carried out a National Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (NRVA) in 2007. The preliminary estimates from this report found that 41 per cent. of the Afghan population have access to safe drinking water (urban and rural).
	The full results from this report will be available on the Central Statistics Office, Afghanistan website:
	http://www.cso.gov.af/

Africa: Overseas Aid

Mohammad Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which countries will receive funding from the £100 million funding recently announced by the Government to improve transport links in east and southern Africa.

Gareth Thomas: Funding will be used to improve transport links and regional trade infrastructure along the north-south corridor in east and southern Africa. Countries linked by the north-south corridor are the Democratic Republic of Congo, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
	Work to improve trade agreements and how these agreements are administrated will also be funded, and will benefit the member states of: the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA); East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC).
	I also refer my hon. Friend to the written ministerial statement I made on 23 April 2009,  Official Report, columns 25-26WS.

Asylum: Thailand

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what reports he has received on the percentage of people in refugee camps on the Thailand-Burma border who are malnourished.

Michael Foster: The Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) carries out annual nutrition surveys of children aged between six months and five years who are living in the refugee camps on the Thailand Burma border. According to TBBC's 2008 survey, the rates were 2.7 per cent. for acute malnutrition and 36.2 per cent. for chronic malnutrition.

Burma: Overseas Aid

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether staff of his Department based in Burma have free access to visit all projects in Burma which his Department funds.

Michael Foster: Staff from the Department for International Development (DFID) are required to obtain permission from the Burmese authorities before visiting projects outside the city of Rangoon. Permission is usually granted routinely, and we have been able to monitor the progress of our projects effectively.

Burma: Overseas Aid

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what reports he has received of additional restrictions on access to the delta region of Burma imposed on aid workers in the last six months.

Michael Foster: Access for aid workers to the Irrawaddy Delta region of Burma has remained good for the last six months.
	Earlier this month, responsibility for issuing visas to certain aid agency staff working in the Delta was transferred from the Tripartite Core Group (comprising representatives of the Burma Government, the United Nations and the Association of South East Asian Nations) to the Burmese Foreign Affairs Policy Committee and line Ministries. It is too early yet to assess whether this move will have a significant impact on humanitarian access to the Delta. The European Union, and other international donors, have raised the procedural changes with the Burmese authorities and expressed their concern that humanitarian access should not be affected.

Burma: Overseas Aid

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of  (a) levels of poverty in Burma and  (b) how aid to that country should be targeted.

Michael Foster: Little reliable data are available on Burma, but it is clear that poverty levels are very high and getting worse. The most recent overview of poverty across most of the country was an assessment of household living conditions which the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) published in June 2007. This assessment found that over a third of the population lived below the poverty line, and 10 per cent. were in extreme poverty. The assessment was not able to cover areas affected by conflict, where poverty levels are likely to be even higher. Since the UNDP assessment, Burma was struck by Cyclone Nargis in May 2008, and the global economic downturn has reduced the income of many households. In addition, many parts of Chin State have experienced severe food shortages as a result of rat infestations; and conflict continues in some other border areas.
	In response to this deepening poverty, DFID will expand its aid to Burma by £10 million in each of the financial years 2009-10 and 2010-11. These increases are in addition to those agreed under the comprehensive spending review. We now plan to spend £25 million on Burma in 2009-10 and £28 million in 2010-11. About 60 per cent. of the increase will be allocated to cyclone-related assistance, and about 40 per cent. to DFID's regular programme of humanitarian aid across the whole country.
	The additional cyclone-related assistance will be focused on health, basic education and the restoration of people's livelihoods in rural areas. Much of the increase for the regular programme will be used to help fill funding gaps faced by the Three Diseases Fund to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. We are at the same time increasing our support to refugees, IDPs and others living in conflict affected areas of Burma. We recently agreed additional funding of up to £280,000 in response to the food shortages in Chin State.
	Our assistance will continue to be channelled through the United Nations and national and international non-governmental organisations, in line with the European Union Common Position on Burma.

Cameroon: Illegal Immigrants

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations he has received on allegations of connections between the Cameroon Parliamentary Caucus for Environmental Protection and illegal immigration activities; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Officials from the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) are aware of a number of reports relating to allegations of connections between the Cameroon Parliamentary Caucus for Environmental Protection and illegal immigration activities. We are very concerned to hear of these allegations. DFID has had no significant funding or other relations with the Caucus—other than some minor support in kind through a DFID funded project, the Forest Governance Facility between March 2007 and the summer of 2008. The FCO, through the British high commission in Yaounde, has provided no funds to the Caucus and has reviewed its portfolio to ensure that no UK funds are being misused by any individuals involved in the Caucus who may also be involved in the work of other related organisations.

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff in his Department  (a) were disciplined and  (b) had their employment terminated as a result of a poor sickness record in each of the last 12 months.

Gareth Thomas: Information on sick absence records in DFID can be located on the departmental website at:
	www.dfid.gov.uk/aboutdfid/sick-absence-stats.asp
	Less than five employees have been disciplined or had their employment terminated as a result of poor sickness records in the last 12-month period.

Departmental ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the (a) energy consumed by,  (b) energy cost of and  (c) carbon dioxide emissions from each category of IT device in each division of his Department in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) has a substantial IT infrastructure with a wide range of IT devices. We have taken steps recently to form baselines on total energy consumption across a large part of the IT estate in the United Kingdom. This is largely based around our data centre in Scotland and our key IT server rooms. We are at the early stages of this base lining process; to provide the actual breakdowns requested in this question would incur disproportionate costs.

Departmental ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken to address the effect on levels of carbon dioxide emissions from his Department of its ICT purchases since the publication of the Greening Government ICT Strategy; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development already had measures in place to ensure that all ICT procurement complied with the latest guidelines on energy efficiency before the launch of the Greening Government strategy. The evaluation criteria used in all ICT procurement specifically covers green IT and energy efficiency.

Departmental ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the average server capacity utilisation by each division of his Department was in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development has over 400 servers in use across the organisation. Around 200 of these are in the UK and the remainder are overseas. We have various monitoring tools across our infrastructure but we do not currently collect ongoing specific statistics on server capacity utilisation. To provide the information requested in this question would incur disproportionate cost.

Departmental ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate has been made of the proportion of personal computers in each of his Department's offices that are turned off  (a) overnight,  (b) at weekends and  (c) during holiday periods; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development's (DFID) policy is that all personal electrical equipment, including computers, printers and photocopiers, must be switched off when not in use. The latest weekly check on DFID's two offices in the United Kingdom reported that 77 per cent. of electrical equipment had been switched off. It would incur disproportionate cost to break this information down as requested and to isolate personal computers from other equipment.

Departmental ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many and what proportion of IT products in each category procured for each division of his Department were compliant with the Government's Buy Sustainable-Quick Win standard in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: All products that the Department for International Development (DFID) has purchased that fall within the Office of Government Commerce's IT category were compliant with the Government's Buy-Sustainable-Quick Win standard.

Departmental ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many  (a) printers and  (b) multi-function devices with printing functions were in use in each division of his Department in each of the last five years; how many such devices had a function enabling two-sided printing; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: The number of printers and multi-function devices in use at the Department for International Development (DFID) in the United Kingdom over the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			   Printers  Multi-function devices 
			 2005 520 30 
			 2006 520 30 
			 2007 380 30 
			 2008 380 30 
			 2009 380 28 
		
	
	All printers and multi-functional devices have the capability to support double-sided printing. Collecting the data for DFID's overseas offices would incur disproportionate cost.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding his Department provided to the  (a) International Inspiration project and  (b) International Sport Development initiative in each of the last five years; how much of that funding was related to the London 2012 Olympics; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The Department for International Development is providing £7.4 million to the International Inspiration Programme (this programme was initially referred to as the International Sport Development Initiative. It became the International Inspiration Programme after its formal launch in January 2008).
	DFID has so far transferred £2.65 million of this funding to the International Inspiration programme: £2 million in financial year 2007-08, and £0.65 million in financial year 2008-09.
	International Inspiration is a sport for development programme that was initiated as a result of London winning the 2012 Olympic games. It is working to deliver the promise made in London's 2012 bid to engage young people across the world in sport.

Developing Countries: Agriculture

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department plans to implement the findings of the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development.

Michael Foster: The International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) presents findings and a range of options for different stakeholders (governments, private sector, academics and civil society) to consider. These findings are neither prescriptive nor legally binding on any party. The Department for International Development (DFID) has looked at these findings to help determine its support to developing countries on agricultural knowledge, science and technology.
	DFID has already taken action in line with IAASTD's findings. Last April the Secretary of State announced a doubling of DFID's investment in agricultural research to a total of £400 million over five years. This investment will include research on environmentally sustainable solutions, focus on the needs of farmers, address gender issues, look at the impact of markets on poor farmers, and support traditional and modern technologies.

Developing Countries: Coal Fired Power Stations

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the amount of money from the UK Environmental Transformation Fund which will be used to fund the development of new coal-fired power stations in developing countries; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: It is not possible to provide an estimate of how much of the UK's Environmental Transformation Fund (through which we contribute to the Climate Investment Funds) will be used to fund the development of new coal-fired power stations in developing countries. This is because the UK's funding cannot be separated from that of other donors contributing to the Climate Investment Funds. However, we do not expect the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) (the only one of the Climate Investment Funds which includes criteria for fossil fuel projects) to receive many bids for funding related to new coal plants. If any are received, the agreed CTF criteria stipulate that coal projects have to be highly efficient and must be ready for the future installation of carbon capture and storage technology. Furthermore, the CTF could only be used to fund the additional cost of making these efficiency and design improvements, rather than subsidising the cost of the whole plant.

International Assistance

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in which countries where Millennium Development Goals have been deemed to have been achieved there has been a statistically significant increase in life expectancy.

Ivan Lewis: The Department for International Development (DFID) looks to United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) to monitor the Millennium Development Goals and to UNICEF to monitor associated indicators such as life expectancy. According to UNSD, to date four countries have met all the Millennium Development Goals (excluding Goal 8) and they have all experienced an increase in life expectancy as shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Life expectancy from birth (years) 
			   1990  2007 
			 Lithuania 71 73 
			 Slovenia 73 78 
			 Thailand 67 70 
			 United Arab Emirates 73 79 
			  Source: UNICEF 
		
	
	The differences in life expectancy are statistically significant.

Iraq: Reconstruction

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his most recent assessment is of the effectiveness of programmes funded by his Department to assist the reconstruction and development of Iraq since 2003.

Gareth Thomas: The Department for International Development (DFID) has carried out recent assessments of each of our current programmes, in accordance with the monitoring and evaluation schedule set by DFID procedures. These annually mark the likelihood of the achievement of purpose for programmes larger than £1 million on a scale from 1 to 4:
	1—Likely to be fully achieved;
	2—Likely to be largely achieved;
	3—Likely to be partially achieved;
	4—Only likely to be achieved to a very limited extent;
	X—Too early to judge.
	Of our six large current programmes in Iraq, in their most recent assessments five were judged as 2—likely to largely achieve their purpose, and one as 1—likely to fully achieve its purpose.
	Based on DFID's experience of delivering aid in Iraq and other insecure environments, we will soon publish a set of briefing papers to provide better guidance to our country offices in their delivery of aid in those environments. DFID is also currently designing a new long-term research programme on conflict, state fragility and social cohesion which will gather more information on effective ways of delivering aid in insecure environments including Iraq.

Malaria: Drugs

Mohammad Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department takes to ensure that funding for anti-malarial drug programmes is used for fixed-dose combinations.

Ivan Lewis: Decisions on the choice of anti-malarial medicines are made by countries themselves. The Department for International Development's (DFID) support for country health programmes or for malaria specifically is used to purchase the anti-malarial drugs selected by the country. Country decisions are influenced strongly by World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations.
	DFID works with international partners on such issues and particularly relies on WHO to set policy on treatment standards. The WHO is in the final stages of updating its policy and guidelines on fixed dose combination and co-blistered anti-malarials.
	In addition DFID supports the Affordable Medicines Facility for Malaria which was launched on 17 April 2009. In that context there has been discussion on the desirability of supporting fixed dose combinations and ways to encourage a transition to fixed dose combinations, where relevant, in a manner that ensures the products and requisite training are available.
	DFID continues to support research and development on new anti-malarials through the Medicines for Malaria Venture. One output of this is the new fixed dose combination dispersible formulation for children that was launched by Novartis in February 2009.

Sierra Leone: Overseas Aid

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what management and accounting mechanisms are in place to audit financial aid from his Department to Sierra Leone delivered through the  (a) World Bank,  (b) United Nations and  (c) African Development Bank.

Ivan Lewis: The Department for International Development (DFID) has developed a number of formal documents which cover financial relationships with the multilateral agencies. These ensure consistent strict financial reporting arrangements are maintained. When necessary DFID undertakes independent audits of funds used in joint programmes.
	Standardised reporting relationships, for both financial resources and measuring impact, are beneficial to DFID and our development partners. These agreements are regularly reviewed to ensure they are contemporary and reflect new legislation.

Sierra Leone: Overseas Aid

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of financial aid provided for construction in Sierra Leone is directed to local contractors; and how many Sierra Leonean companies are contracted to carry out construction work funded by his Department.

Ivan Lewis: All of the aid that the Department for International Development (DFID) has provided for construction in Sierra Leone has been channelled through local contractors. We have awarded contracts to over 250 registered construction companies across the country.

Sri Lanka: International Assistance

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his latest estimate is of the level of humanitarian aid entering Sri Lanka.

Ivan Lewis: Since 19 February the only humanitarian aid reaching the civilians caught in the conflict has been by sea by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The last road convoy, led by the UN, reached the area held by the LTTE on 29 January. This is not enough. We have been pressing the Sri Lankan Government at the highest level to allow proper humanitarian access and protection. We have also pressed them and the LTTE to agree a ceasefire long enough to allow proper civilian evacuation, to which the response has been disappointing.
	As the International Development and Foreign Secretaries said in their parliamentary statement of 2 April, the humanitarian situation is deplorable. As the conflict reaches a climax, civilians are now managing to flee in increasing numbers but we remain concerned for their welfare and protection and continue to press for them to be cared for properly.
	We have provided £5 million in humanitarian aid funding through UN agencies and the ICRC, the only organisations able to carry out any relief and protection work in or around the conflict zone.
	As indicated by the Prime Minister in the House on 22 April, my colleague Mike Foster is currently in Sri Lanka to see conditions for himself. He will make further representations to both sides to respect humanitarian law and allow proper relief and protection. The UK Government will allocate a further £2.5 million in humanitarian assistance in the coming weeks.

St. Helena: Public Expenditure

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much has been spent on St. Helena from the public purse in the last 20 years, expressed in current prices adjusted for inflation.

Ivan Lewis: The cost of bilateral support to the Government of St. Helena over the last 20 years, provided through DFID or its predecessor Department, is set out in the following table (current prices in £ million):
	
		
			   £ million 
			   Expenditure 
			 2007-08 17.6 
			 2006-07 16.1 
			 2005-06 14.3 
			 2004-05 15.6 
			 2003-04 11.7 
			 2002-03 10.9 
			 2001-02 11.9 
			 2000-01 12.2 
			 1999-2000 11.4 
			 1998-99 10.9 
			 1997-98 11.2 
			 1996-97 10.4 
			 1995-96 12.5 
			 1994-95 11.4 
			 1993-94 12.8 
			 1992-93 13.2 
			 1991-92 13.6 
			 1990-91 18.5 
			 1989-90 41.3 
			 1988-89 38.2 
		
	
	These figures do not include assistance that DFID has provided since 2004 to non-governmental groups on St. Helena for environmental conservation projects. This amounted to approximately £400,000 over the five year period.
	In addition to DFID/ODA assistance, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has funded a small number of discrete projects through its Overseas Territories Programme Fund. The total for St. Helena over the last two financial years amounts to just over £400,000. Further information cannot be provided without disproportionate cost.
	St. Helena has also benefited from other sources of public funding through financial assistance from the European Union (approximately £13 million in the last 12 years), the United Nations Development Programme (approximately £1.6 million in the last 12 years) and the World Health Organisation ($400,000 every two years).
	The values of these further amounts are stated in cash prices.

St. Helena: Aviation

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much has been spent on the  (a) St. Helena Access Project and  (b) Atkins Feasibility Report for St. Helena Air Access.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) has spent approximately £8 million on the Access Project since the High Point Rendel Comparative Report on Air and Sea Access study in 2000-01. This includes the 2005 Atkins Feasibility Study at a cost of £1.65 million.

Terrorism: Finance

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2009,  Official Report, column 791 on terrorism: finance, which of the projects aimed at addressing the development-related causes of radicalisation are delivered by subcontractors; and what measures are in place to monitor the performance of such subcontractors.

Gareth Thomas: The Department for International Development (DFID) works with a wide range of partners to deliver our projects: private contractors, civil society organisations, international agencies and developing country governments. DFID's standard operating procedures require that all projects be monitored regularly to ensure the agreed scope of work is delivered to a satisfactory standard by the lead provider or contractor, and their subcontractors. Measuring the achievement of outputs/outcomes against performance indicators, and addressing any emerging problems in a timely way, are key aspects of DFID's approach to project management. Each individual project's value and risk assessment will determine the appropriate level of monitoring undertaken. Measures to manage the risks identified in project plans are also reviewed regularly, in line with the Department's guidance on risk management.

Zimbabwe: Politics and Government

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with the government of Zimbabwe on the humanitarian situation in that country.

Ivan Lewis: As yet there has been no direct UK contact at ministerial level with the new Government in Zimbabwe. However, officials from the Department for International Development (DFID) and colleagues from other Whitehall Departments are in regular contact with the new Government in Harare about the humanitarian situation and the terms under which a more direct aid relationship between the UK and Zimbabwe could be resumed. In the meantime we are continuing to provide significant levels of humanitarian support through the United Nations and non-governmental organisations.

DEFENCE

Aircraft Carriers: Rosyth

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many jobs he estimates will be created in east central Scotland consequent upon the construction of the new aircraft carriers at Rosyth.

Quentin Davies: It is expected that the current core workforce for Rosyth Dockyard of around 1,200 will rise to around 1,400 at peak production of the carriers. In addition MacTaggart Scott and Co. Ltd., who employ 245 staff at the Loanhead site, Nr Edinburgh, were awarded the contract for the manufacture of aircraft lifts for the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers. Further additional jobs may be created in second and third tier suppliers in the area.

Boscombe Down

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to upgrade the runway at Boscombe Down.

Bob Ainsworth: The main runway at MOD Boscombe Down is currently being resurfaced and the associated aeronautical ground lighting and signage are being replaced in order to maintain the existing capability of the airfield. There are no plans for the runway to be upgraded.

Colombia

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in his Department met representatives of the Colombian government to discuss defence matters in 2008.

John Hutton: MOD Ministers had no official meetings with Colombian officials in 2008. Other members of the Ministry of Defence, however, routinely met representatives of the Colombian Government in the course of their duties. This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Buildings

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what properties  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies have sold in each of the last five years; and how many have been sold for housing developments.

Kevan Jones: I will place a copy of the list of land and property sold by the Department and its agencies in each of the last five years, together with an indication of the expected planning use in the Library of the House. This replaces any previous lists. It should be noted that actual future use is a matter for the purchasers and local planning authorities to determine.
	The MOD and the Department for Communities and Local Government are delivering affordable housing as part of wider government agenda. We have in the past sold a large number of strategic sites to DCLG, including Oakington barracks in Cambridge, Connaught barracks in Dover and Roussillon barracks in Chichester. This relationship continues with other sites at Aldershot, Daws Hill and Borden being currently discussed.

Departmental Hospitality

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on entertainment and hospitality in each financial year since 2001.

Kevan Jones: Official entertainment is typically offered where we host foreign Defence Ministers, armed forces representatives and civilian officials in the UK to use our influence to prevent conflict, pursue UK security policy interests and enhance professional contacts. Commanding officers may include entertainment in events for members of their unit to enhance and develop cohesiveness and team spirit. We may also include entertainment to further wider public understanding of defence, for example during an official parliamentary visit to a military unit or where we are launching a major defence initiative. Entertainment, which must be modest, usually takes the form of light refreshments, lunches, dinners or, more rarely, receptions.
	We have reported the costs of entertainment in our annual report.
	These figures include expenditure by the defence agencies, but not by the MOD's trading funds and Executive non-departmental public bodies, which lie outside the MOD's accounting boundary.
	Copies of our annual report and accounts are available in the Library of the House and online under the MOD's Freedom of Information Publication Scheme at:
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/AnnualReports/

Military Aircraft

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average annual flying hours were for  (a) C-130,  (b) C-17 and  (c) Tristar aircraft in each year since 2001.

Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the table contained in my answer of 10 July 2008,  Official Report, column 1748W, to the hon. Member for Woodspring (Dr. Fox).
	As stated in my previous answer there is no requirement for the Department to hold data on average flying hours therefore the data provided are for planned and actual flying hours only. Figures for financial year 2008-09 are provided in the following table.
	
		
			   Planned  Actual 
			 Tristar 11,561 8,966 
			 Hercules C1/3/4/5 29,596 27,301 
			 C17A 6,800 8,000

NATO: Location

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at what meetings  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials from his Department have with their (i) French and (ii) US counterparts discussed the relocation of NATO Allied Command Transformation from Norfolk, Virginia to continental Europe in the last 12 months.

John Hutton: There have been no such discussions.

RAF Leuchars

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the timetable is for the introduction of the three Typhoon squadrons to RAF Leuchars.

Bob Ainsworth: 6 Squadron is planned to stand-up with Typhoon at RAF Leuchars on 1 October 2010. It is planned that two further squadrons, which have yet to be allocated nameplates, will stand-up at RAF Leuchars on 1 October 2011 and 1 October 2012 respectively.

RAF Lyneham

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce his decision on the future of RAF Lyneham.

Bob Ainsworth: I expect to make an announcement shortly.

RAF Northolt

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future development of RAF Northolt.

Kevan Jones: RAF Northolt has been identified as a core defence site and as such its future is secure. Current plans for development continue under Project MoDEL through which the MOD is rationalising its estate in London. There are no current plans to develop the site further.

Rescue Services

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made towards bringing the Search and Rescue capability provided by his Department and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency together as a single service.

Bob Ainsworth: I refer the right hon. and learned Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the Minster for Defence Equipment and Support, (Mr. Davies) on 13 January 2009,  Official Report, column 559W, to the hon. Member for North Devon (Nick Harvey).

Rescue Services

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what conditions bidders had to comply with in tendering for the contract to provide the Search and Rescue Service.

Bob Ainsworth: A Contract Notice inviting requests to participate in the competition for the provision of the harmonised UK search and rescue capability was issued in the Official Journal of the European Union on 12 May 2006. Respondents were subsequently invited to demonstrate their understanding of the requirement and their experience, competence and suitability in relation to it. A number of suitable parties were selected for participation in a competitive dialogue procedure in accordance with European Union procurement regulations; two consortia remain.

Somalia: Piracy

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the unclassified version of the Combined Maritime Forces Headquarters daily counterpiracy campaign update slide for each Monday of each month since February 2009.

Bob Ainsworth: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Territorial Army: West Midlands

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  which Territorial Army units are based in the West Midlands;
	(2)  how many Territorial Army units based in the West Midlands have taken part in military operations in  (a) Afghanistan and  (b) Iraq, either as units or by sending individual personnel;
	(3)  what percentage of Territorial Army personnel based in the West Midlands have previously served in the armed forces full-time.

Bob Ainsworth: The Territorial Army (TA) units based in the West Midlands are listed as follows:
	The Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry
	210 Battery Royal Artillery
	214 Battery Royal Artillery
	125 Field Squadron Royal Engineers
	301 Troop Independent Commando Squadron Royal Engineers
	35 Signal Regiment
	37 Signal Regiment
	4 Mercian Regiment
	6 Flight Army Air Corps
	159 Supply Regiment Royal Logistic Corps
	202 (Medical) Field Hospital
	225 Field Squadron (Medical)
	126 Workshop Company Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
	116 Provost Company Royal Military Police
	29 Military Intelligence Company
	Birmingham University Officer Training Corps
	143 Brigade Regional Training Centre
	West Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association
	HQ 12 Signal Group
	Information on what percentage of TA personnel based in the West Midlands have previously served in the armed forces full-time is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Since 2003, 15 TA units within 143 (West Midlands) Brigade have supported operations in Iraq, and 13 in Afghanistan. Of these, five units have supported both theatres. Participation has been both as formed cohorts and through the provision of individual augmentees.

World War I: Battlefields

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will hold discussions with representatives of the Belgian government on the preservation of First World War battlefield sites; and if he will make a statement.

Kevan Jones: While there are no plans for discussions with representatives of the Belgian Government on the preservation of First World War battlefield sites, the Government do maintain a close interest in these sites. Although my Department's policy is to discourage their disturbance, we do however recognise that in parts of Europe land reclamation and construction activity will mean that battlefields may need to be disturbed. In such cases, on behalf of the UK, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) keeps in close contact with the Belgian authorities who are fully aware that the discovery of any remains of British or Commonwealth service personnel is to be immediately reported to the CWGC and the local police. They are also aware of the need to protect the remains together with any associated artefacts and personal effects for possible identification and re-burial.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Community Relations: Finance

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 21 January 2009,  Official Report, column 1481W, on community relations: finance, how much of the work in prisons aimed at tackling vulnerability to radicalisation and being funded by the National Offender Management Service and partner agencies is being delivered by sub-contractors; and what mechanisms are in place to monitor the performance of such sub-contractors.

Jack Straw: I have been asked to reply.
	The Home Office funds one mentoring scheme which operates within prisons. Evaluation of this scheme is being undertaken by an independent third party under the supervision of the research team in the Office for Security and Counter Terrorism.

Departmental Assets

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when her Department last reviewed its assets and land and property holdings with a view to identifying and disposing of surpluses.

Phil Woolas: My Department's Estates and Sustainability Board approved a strategy for managing our estate in June 2008. The strategy enables us to maximise value for money through better use of the estate, and helps ensure that the estate evolves to most efficiently support departmental objectives.

Foreign Workers: EU Nationals

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the worker registration scheme for nationals of Eastern European EU member states is due to expire; what options to extend it there are; whether the Government have taken a decision on an extension; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: On 8 April I announced that the UK Government would retain the worker registration scheme for a further two years, subject to a review in 12 months' time. This decision was taken following receipt of advice from the independent Migration Advisory Committee. Their report can be found at:
	http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/workingwithus/indbodies/mac/
	A copy will be placed in the House Library. Retaining WRS will help protect our labour market at this difficult time. It will also mean that the UK can continue to collect A8 data to determine whether further steps may be needed over the next two years to prevent disruption of the UK labour market.

Identity Cards: Disclosure of Information

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 12 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 508-9W, on disclosure of information: identity cards, what steps she plans to take following the latest Information Tribunal ruling requiring the disclosure of the Gateway Review documents.

Phil Woolas: The Identity and Passport Service and the Office of Government Commerce have published two Gateway Reviews documents on the Identity Cards programme.
	Electronic copies of the two reports are available on the Identity and Passport Service website at:
	www.ips.gov.uk

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 18 February 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, on Mr Alam Khan.

Jacqui Smith: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 25 March 2009.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 25 February 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, on Shahin Vasi.

Jacqui Smith: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 17 March 2009.

Overseas Students

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she takes to ensure that those in possession of overseas student visas continue to be enrolled students and work no more than 20 hours a week.

Phil Woolas: Individuals granted leave to enter or remain in the UK must continue to meet the requirements under which that leave was granted and comply with any conditions attached to that grant of leave, including any restrictions on the amount and type of work they can do.
	If a student fails to enrol on a course of study, or ceases attending, they may have their leave curtailed or a future application refused.
	Educational establishments are encouraged to report non-enrolment or non-attendance to the UK Border Agency and a facility exists to provide this information on our website.
	Under the new points-based system for migrants, educational establishments must be licensed by the UK Border Agency and, in order to retain their licence, comply with a number of duties. These include reporting to the UK Border Agency any overseas student who fails to enrol, or stops attending their approved course of study. Educational establishments who fail to comply with these duties will risk having their licence withdrawn and will not therefore be able to bring in overseas students under Tier 4.
	Details of the new arrangements were published on our website:
	www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/pbs/tier4
	on 9 March. A copy will be placed in the House Library.
	Where a student is found to be in breach of these conditions there are a range of sanctions that the UK Border Agency can use, including fines, prosecution and removal. Those employers who knowingly allow overseas nationals to take employment without the appropriate immigration permission may be fined up to £10,000.
	The Government are committed to tackling those people who abuse the immigration laws. To aid this we have focused over 1,000 additional immigration staff on enforcement duties including working with local employers and colleges to support compliance with sponsor obligations and the law.

Police: Bureaucracy

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the remit is of the Police Independent Bureaucracy Champion; what work the Champion has taken since July 2008; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: Jan Berry took up her role as the independent Reducing Bureaucracy Advocate on 1 October 2008 and she was asked to bring a fresh perspective to reducing unnecessary bureaucracy in policing. Her role is independent from the Home Office and she has been given a broad remit, specifically to drive forward the implementation of the bureaucracy reducing recommendations made by Sir Ronnie Flanagan; to challenge the Government and the police service to remove or reduce unnecessary bureaucracy; and to tackle risk aversion where it is preventing police officers from exercising their professional judgment.
	Since her appointment, Jan Berry has established a Reducing Bureaucracy Practitioner Group, comprising frontline police officers and support staff, to analyse common procedures undertaken by frontline officers and staff with a view to reducing the bureaucracy involved in them. The group has already drawn up an initial list of processes for future analysis; including accident reporting, call handling, case building, custody, missing persons investigations and the use of force.
	Jan Berry has met with a number of policing representatives, across all ranks, as well as colleagues from across the criminal justice system, to inform her consideration of the bureaucracy involved in policing. She has also held meetings with the Attorney-General, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Chief Prosecuting Solicitor to seek agreement to work towards a complimentary and integrated IT system across the whole of the CJS. She is also working with the DPP and conducting research into custody processes with a view to making recommendations for change.
	Throughout her work to date Jan Berry has emphasised her view that removing paper processes will not in itself remove unnecessary bureaucracy and that there is a need to provide police officers with experience to make good decisions and to rebuild trust and confidence.
	Her interim report, 'Reducing Bureaucracy in Policing', was published on 16 February 2009 and is available in the House Library. Her full report is expected in summer 2009.

Repatriation: Zimbabwe

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Zimbabwean citizens were repatriated to Zimbabwe from the UK in 2008.

Phil Woolas: In 2008, 375 Zimbabwean nationals were removed or voluntarily departed from the UK to Zimbabwe.
	National Statistics on removals and voluntary departures in 2008 from the UK, by country of nationality and destination are published in the supplementary Excel Table I of the "Control of Immigration: Quarterly Statistical Summary United Kingdom Q4 2008" bulletin. Copies of this publication are available from the Library of the House and the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs09/immiq408.pdf
	supplementary tables:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs09/immiq408supp.xls)
	Published statistics on immigration and asylum are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html

Terrorism: West Midlands

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her most recent assessment is of the effectiveness of anti-terror policing in the West Midlands.

Vernon Coaker: One of the UK's four counter-terrorism units is situated in the West Midlands. These are strategically located national assets which enhance and support the work of police forces by providing coordination and specialist support to deliver our counter-terrorism strategy. The unit has a broad operational capability incorporating intelligence, investigation and surveillance functions. As well as day-to-day prevention and disruption activity to counter the threat posed by terrorism, the unit has been responsible for a number of arrests and prosecutions under the Terrorism Act.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of progress made in achieving the goals of the Afghanistan Compact.

Bill Rammell: The goals of the Afghan Compact, agreed in London in 2006, are wide-ranging, addressing security; governance, rule of law and human rights; and economic and social development.
	Progress against these goals was reviewed at the Paris Conference on Afghanistan on 12 June 2008. Some important examples of progress highlighted at the Conference, were:
	Afghanistan's first parliamentary elections in 36 years were held in September 2005.
	27 per cent. of the seats in the Lower House of Parliament are now held by women.
	Between 2002-3 and 2005-6 the economy grew by 42 per cent.
	Almost six million children, a third of which are girls, are now in school compared to one million in 2001.
	82 per cent. of Afghans now have access to basic healthcare, compared to 9 percent in 2002.
	More information on the Paris Conference can be found at:
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/fco-in-action/uk-in-afghanistan/politics/afghanistan-politics-paris
	For a more recent UK overview of progress in Afghanistan, also addressing many of the themes in the Compact, please see the link following to the recent Foreign and Commonwealth Office Memorandum of Evidence; submitted to the Foreign Affairs Committee as part of their Global Security Inquiry into Afghanistan:
	http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmselect/cmfaff/memo/afghanistan/ucgs0402.htm

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution the Government have made to the US Administration's strategy review of Afghanistan.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 22 April 2009
	As a key ally of the US, the UK provided assistance to a US-led review of American defence and security policy in the Greater Middle East and Central Asian area, including the secondment of Ministry of Defence, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development officials to contribute to this work.
	I also refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Gillian Merron) gave on 26 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 1795-96W.

Beijing

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visits were made by Ministers to Beijing in the financial year 2007-08.

Bill Rammell: There were 14 visits made by Ministers to Beijing in the financial year 2007-08. The following Minsters visited Beijing during this period:
	Mr. Liam Byrne MP, Minister-Home Office: 19-21 April 2007
	Right hon. John Prescott MP, Deputy Prime Minister: 22-24 April 2007
	Right hon. Margaret Beckett MP, Foreign Secretary: 18-19 May 2007
	Right hon. Douglas Alexander MP, Secretary of State For Transport: 4-7 June 2007
	Lord Malloch Brown, Minister, Foreign and Commonwealth Office: 27-29 August2007
	Mr. Liam Byrne MP, Minister Home Office: 8-10 October 2007
	Right hon. John Denham MP, Secretary of State For Innovation, Universities and Skill: 28-30 October 2007
	Ms Tessa Jowell MP, Minister for the Olympics: 11-15 November 2007
	Lord Jones, Minister for Trade Promotion: 19-23 November 2007 and 17-19 January 2008
	Right hon. John Hutton MP, Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, BERR: 18-19 January 2008
	Right hon. Gordon Brown MP, Prime Minister: 18-19 January 2008
	Mr. Tom Harris MP, Minister, Department for Transport: 27 February - 2 March 2008
	Right hon. David Miliband MP, Foreign Secretary: 24-29 February 2008

Burma: Arms Trade

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information his Department holds on which countries are the main arms suppliers to the Government of Burma.

Bill Rammell: We understand that the Burmese Government looks to procure military equipment from its traditional allies in the region. However, we do not collate or hold information on Burmese arms supplies or their sources.

Burma: Arms Trade

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Japan on a global arms embargo against Burma.

Bill Rammell: The UK supports the imposition of a UN arms embargo but this would require the adoption of a Chapter VII resolution by the Security Council. The current composition of the UN Security Council makes a universal arms ban unlikely at the short term. We have had no recent discussions with Japan on the prospects for the imposition of a global arms embargo.
	A strict EU arms embargo against Burma is already in place and we discourage all other arms producing countries from selling arms to Burma.

Burma: Politics and Government

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the new constitution for Burma that will be enacted after elections in 2010.

Bill Rammell: We continue to have grave concerns about the Burmese authorities 'roadmap process', the new constitution and elections planned for 2010. The referendum of May 2008 was deeply flawed and the constitution that has emerged from it appears designed to perpetuate military domination of the state. The constitution was drawn up without any meaningful participation by the opposition or the main ethnic groups.

Departmental Public Expenditure

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 12 March 2009,  Official Report, column 625W, on departmental public expenditure, what activities have been  (a) delayed in 2008-09 and  (b) identified for delay in 2009-10 at embassies in (i) Amman, (ii) Lagos, (iii) New Delhi and (iv) Brussels.

David Miliband: holding answer 27 March 2009
	The posts concerned received over £4 million of Overseas Price Movements (OPM) mechanism uplifts in 2008-09 in order to maintain the purchasing power of their budget and to ensure they could deliver their strategic objectives without delaying activity.
	However, in some of these posts there were some delays to low priority capital expenditure, including accommodation improvements, as we did not provide OPM for capital expenditure.
	Work on 2009-10 budget setting has recently concluded and posts are currently finalising their activity plans against their resource allocation.

Iran: Arms Trade

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken at  (a) United Nations and  (b) EU level in response to the finding by the UN Iran Sanctions Committee that the vessel MV Monchegorsk was transporting arms-related material from Iran to Syria.

David Miliband: We continue to have discussions with our UN and European partners to improve enforcement of sanctions against Iran. As Cypriot Foreign Minister Marcos Kyprianou has said, the Monchegorsk was in "clear" breach of UN sanctions banning Iran from exporting arms and related materiel. By retaining the cargo at a secure facility, Cyprus has dealt with the situation effectively and in line with UN and EU requirements.
	We are continuing to support the Committee's ongoing efforts to ensure full implementation of the measures prescribed in Security Council resolutions 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007) and 1803 (2008). All states have an obligation to comply fully with mandatory measures imposed by the UN Security Council.

Iran: Arms Trade

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the UN Sanctions Committee has received reports from  (a) Iran and  (b) Syria on the shipment of arms-related material from Iran to Syria in the vessel MV Monchegorsk.

David Miliband: On 9 March 2009, the Chairman of the UN Security Council's Iran Sanctions Committee requested reports from both Iran and Syria on this incident, which was in violation of a legally-binding chapter VII Security Council resolution.
	Syria replied to the Chairman of the Iran Sanctions Committee on 17 March 2009.
	Iran did not reply directly, but issued a press statement on 31 March 2009 claiming that the shipment was "within the framework of normal trade transactions".
	The letter from Syria included no denial that sanctions had been breached. We are pressing through the Committee to ensure full implementation of the measures prescribed in UN Security Council resolutions 1737 (2006) 1747 (2007) and 1803 (2008) and gain a full explanation for the breach from the countries concerned. All states have an obligation to comply fully with mandatory measures imposed by the UN Security Council.

Iran: Nuclear Power

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is his policy that suspension by Iran of its uranium enrichment programme should be a precondition for negotiations on its nuclear programme; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The UK fully subscribes to the E3+3 group of countries' dual-track strategy, which makes clear that Iran must suspend its enrichment-related activities, as required by five UN Security Council Resolutions, before full negotiations can begin. Iran needs to demonstrate the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear programme. We and our E3+3 partners will continue to try and persuade Iran that negotiations and transparency present the best route to resolving this issue.

Latin America: Conflict Prevention

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 25 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 17-19WS, on conflict resources 2009-10, what schemes are being funded under the Conflict Prevention Pool programme in Latin America; and what assessment he has made of the impact of the withdrawal of UK funding on these schemes.

Bill Rammell: The schemes funded by the Latin America Conflict Prevention Pool are listed in the following table:
	
		
			  Country  Project 
			 Colombia Regional Humanitarian Mine Action and Training Centre 
			  Strengthening the effective and transparent implementation of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights through the engagement of civil society organisations 
			  Strengthening economic reintegration policy for Internally-Displaced Persons through increased involvement of the private sector 
			  Implementation of Colombian Ministry of Defence (MOD)'s Human Rights policy - promotion of Security Forces' protection and prevention role in relation to forced displacement 
			  Supporting the Colombian MoD's Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law policy through implementation of Best Practices in Chain of Custody 
			  Strengthening investigations of Forced Disappearances through improved case-management and chain of custody protocols 
			  Institutional strengthening of the Ombudsman's Office for protecting Internally-Displaced Persons' housing, land and property rights 
			  Supporting implementation of the National Search Plan through capacity building of key State Institutions to address cases of enforced disappearances 
			  Colombian MoD Human Rights 
			   
			 Bolivia Security Sector Reform 
			   
			 Venezuela National Police Reform in Anzoategui State 
			  UN High Commissioner for Refugees Comprehensive Strategy for Conflict Prevention and Management on Venezuelan border 
			   
			 Belize/Guatemala Organisation of American States (OAS) Office Capacity Building 
			  Audit of Donor Programmes in Belize and Guatemala 
			  Assistance to the OAS Office in the Adjacency Zone 
			  Research Piece: The Case for Resolution 
			  Information/Media Campaigns 
			  River Border workshop 
			  Sarstoon River support 
			  Technical assistance for referendum 
			  Legal 'Basket Fund' 
			  Belize - Prisoner Handling Training 
			   
			 Caribbean Guyana Security Sector Reform 
			  Caribbean Prison Reform 
			  Caribbean Law Enforcement Adviser 
			  Joint Capacity Building in the JDF and JCF in Jamaica 
			  Caribbean Strategic Conflict and Security Assessment 
			  Regional Aviation Security Training 
		
	
	It is too early to provide a full assessment of the impact of Conflict Prevention Pool funding reductions in Latin America. Some of the above projects have been transferred to other funding streams, including strategic programme funds and bilateral programme budgets. We are also discussing with external stakeholders the possibility of joint funding for some of these schemes. The Department for International Development (DFID) also contributes significantly to multilateral work in the region. DFID's multilateral financial support is increasing by 15 per cent. over the next three years from £84 million to £97 million in 2010-11. DFID's new "Working in Partnership in Latin America" will also see the UK support the work of 12 international civil society partners increase to £13 million per year.

Morocco: Fisheries

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek suspension of the EU-Morocco Fisheries Agreement in the light of reports of EU vessels fishing in the waters off Western Sahara in an area covered by the declaration of an exclusive economic zone by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.

Bill Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no plans to seek the suspension of the EU-Morocco Fisheries Agreement.
	The EU-Morocco Fisheries Agreement was agreed in 2006 and sets out the terms for which UK and other European fishing vessels may fish in the waters off the coast of Western Sahara. The agreement does not prejudice the issue of the status of Western Sahara, which the UK regards as undetermined pending UN efforts to find a resolution. Nor does the agreement represent recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over the maritime waters off Western Sahara.

National Security

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions he and his predecessors have authorised warrants under section 7 of the Intelligence and Security Act 1994 since 1997.

David Miliband: The issuing of authorisations under section 7 of the Intelligence and Security Act is scrutinized by the Intelligence Services Commissioner. In his most recent Report of the Intelligence Services Commissioner, he gave an account of his scrutiny function and noted that:
	"Consistent with the practice followed since annual reporting by the respective statutory Commissioners began, I do not propose to disclose publicly the numbers of warrants or authorisations issued to the security and intelligence agencies. That is because, it would, I believe, assist those unfriendly to the UK were they able to know the extent of the work of the Security Service, SIS (Secret Intelligence Service) and GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) in fulfilling their functions. The figures are, however of interest and I have included them in the confidential annex to this report."

North Korea: Sanctions

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on new UN sanctions on North Korea following its recent satellite launch and decision to withdraw co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The Government have joined international partners in condemning North Korea's satellite launch on 5 April 2009. The launch was in contravention of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1718 (2006), and the subsequent decision to expel the International Atomic Energy Agency and US monitors working at Yongbyon was completely unjustified. The UN Security Council issued a strong presidential statement on 13 April 2009, and we following up with partners in the Sanctions Committee set up by UNSCR 1718. Sanctions are an important part of a wider framework of measures which, taken together, increase pressure on North Korea to cease its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction. In contacts with the North Korean government in London and Pyongyang, we continue to urge restraint and encourage them to re-engage with the six party talks process.

Sri Lanka: Politics and Government

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the Sri Lankan government in respect of the political situation in that country; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 24 April 2009
	We are in regular discussions with the Sri Lankan Government about the urgent humanitarian situation in northern Sri Lanka. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister telephoned President Rajapakse on 21 April 2009 to press for a renewed and longer pause in fighting to allow civilians to leave and for humanitarian supplies to be delivered.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Bogollagama on 23 April 2009. He remains actively engaged with his international counterparts, and the UN, in pressing for a renewed pause in righting. The Foreign Secretary also made a written ministerial statement on 22 April 2009,  Official Report, column 17WS.

UN World Conference Against Racism

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what steps he  (a) has taken and  (b) plans to take at the United Nations in respect of statements about the state of Israel made by the President of Iran at the UN Durban 2 anti-racism conference; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions  (a) he  (b) Ministers and  (c) officials in his Department plan to have with governments of Arab states on the statements about the state of Israel made by the President of Iran at the UN Durban 2 anti-racism conference; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The UK condemns the hate-filled rhetoric of President Ahmadinejad and deems it offensive, inflammatory and utterly unacceptable. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary reiterated this in his press statement of 20 April 2009 in response to President Ahmadinejad's statement at the Durban Review Conference in Geneva that day. A copy of the statement may be found on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at:
	www.fco.gov.uk/en/newsroom
	We will continue to make our views clear at all levels in discussions with UN members and other states around the world.

Zimbabwe: Politics and Government

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of progress towards  (a) democratic reform and  (b) human rights reform in Zimbabwe since the formation of the coalition government; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: We are encouraged by the new Government's stated commitment to reform, such as the drafting of a new constitution, greater media freedom, respect for the rule of law and opening up democratic space. It is important that those commitments are implemented as soon as possible. We have seen little progress towards respect for human rights on the ground. Although political detainees have been released, they have been subject to extremely strict bail conditions. Some continue to be harassed by government officials. Violent farm seizures have escalated since the formation of the transitional government, despite the appointment by Prime Minister Tsvangirai of a ministerial team to investigate the abuses. In some cases, members of the police have been fully involved in targeting the farmers and their labourers.

PRIME MINISTER

Warrants

David Davis: To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions he and his predecessor have authorised warrants under section 7 of the Intelligence and Security Act 1994 since 1997.

Gordon Brown: Warrants issued under section 7 of the Intelligence Services Act 1994 (ISA) must be authorised by a Secretary of State rather than the Prime Minister.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Electoral Register: Databases

Caroline Spelman: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission whether the Electoral Commission plans to seek to keep the new CORE electoral registration database.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that it does not wish to assume the role of keeping the CORE electoral registration database. The Commission set out its reasons in a letter sent to Ministry of Justice officials dated 26 November 2008. A copy of the letter has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

Voting Methods

Francis Maude: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what guidance the Electoral Commission has issued on the use of personal identifiers to verify  (a) postal vote applications,  (b) proxy vote applications and  (c) postal vote ballot papers in respect to the (i) selection of identifiers and (ii) proportion of papers to be checked.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that it issues detailed guidance to electoral registration officers and returning officers on the verification of personal identifiers included on postal and proxy vote applications and postal voting statements.
	The guidance gives full information on the identifiers that may be used by an electoral registration officer to verify a postal or proxy vote application. The guidance also strongly recommends that returning officers should verify 100 per cent. of returned postal voting statements.
	The Commission's most recent guidance, for electoral registration officers and local returning officers at the 2009 European parliamentary elections, can be found on the Commission's website:
	www.electoralcommission.org.uk
	Copies have been placed in the House of Commons Library.

JUSTICE

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many officials in his Department are suspended; how many are suspended on full pay; for how long each has been suspended; and what the reasons are for each such suspension.

Michael Wills: Suspension forms part of the MoJ's discipline policy. Staff may be suspended during a disciplinary process if initial fact finding shows that the employee's actions might amount to gross misconduct; may impact on the health and safety of the employee or other employees might be at risk; it is suspected that potential witnesses might be influenced by the employee; the working relationship with the employee has broken down; or it is suspected that there is a risk to MoJ's property. Under the Civil Service Management Code individuals under criminal investigation or disciplinary procedures may be suspended from duty to protect the public interest.
	Suspension is not a disciplinary sanction nor is it considered an indication of guilt and, in most cases, employees will not be suspended during the disciplinary process. A suspended employee will normally continue to receive full pay and is expected to remain available during their normal working hours and to fully co-operate with a disciplinary investigation. In some circumstances, for example when an employee is remanded in custody, an employee may be suspended on no pay.
	MoJ policies in this area are made available to all employees via our intranet.
	The records for MoJ, excluding the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) show that, as at 21 April 2009, 17 employees were suspended. All of them were suspended on full pay in line with the MoJ policy and all of these were suspended for reasons that initial investigations indicated might fall into one or more of the categories set out above.
	The length of time suspended from duty of the 17 employees referred to above varies from one to five months.
	NOMS does not hold the detailed information centrally in a format that would enable us to answer this question without incurring disproportionate cost.

Electoral Register

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the timetable is for the introduction of individual electoral registration in Great Britain; in what ways the system will differ from that deployed in Northern Ireland; and whether he plans to pilot different systems prior to permanent adoption.

Michael Wills: As I announced at Commons Report stage of the Political Parties and Elections Bill, the phased introduction of individual registration will involve the voluntary collection of personal identifiers (alongside the existing process of household registration) from the autumn 2010 annual canvass until the autumn 2015 canvass. From this point it would be compulsory to provide identifiers for new registrations. By 2017 the provision of identifiers would be compulsory for all entries on the register. The shift to compulsory provision of identifiers in 2015 would be subject to a parliamentary vote on a recommendation by the Electoral Commission as to whether two statutory tests relating to the state of preparation for the change and the robustness of the registration system had been met.
	The Government will table amendments to the Bill ahead of Grand Committee in the House of Lords to put this into effect. The system proposed will be closely modelled on that introduced in Northern Ireland in 2002, although we will wish to learn the lessons of Northern Ireland when implementing in Great Britain.
	The proposed phased introduction of individual registration is intended to ensure that we can deliver a register that is both accurate and comprehensive. It will also allow the opportunity to effectively plan the necessary infrastructure to deliver the system. In addition, clauses 22 and 23 of the Bill provide for the piloting of data matching schemes that will allow us to test, in a controlled way, new tools to help electoral registration officers improve the accuracy and comprehensiveness of their registers.

Legal Aid: Finance

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will publish the recent statement by the Legal Services Commission (LSC) on managing the remaining BACS payment runs for March; how legal aid providers are informed that they can contact their regional office for urgent payment; for what reasons the LSC made its statement; and when Ministers were informed  (a) of the matter and  (b) the LSC's decision on how to manage it.

Shahid Malik: The LSC received a query on 24 March 2009 from CrimeLine about payments over the end of the financial year. On 26 March, the LSC issued the following response to CrimeLine:
	"Following the introduction in January of the new, more frequent payment regime, the LSC has cleared additional payments totalling approximately £41 million from January to February. The change from monthly to more frequent payments was made to help our providers in the current economic climate. In addition, we have put additional effort in to process providers' claims faster than previously experienced. We now turn round all claims on average in five working days.
	We have to ensure that our total cash spend is within our funding limit. So we are carefully managing the remaining BACS payment runs for March. Providers will still be receiving weekly payments.
	Any outstanding payments from this period will be settled in early April. Payments meantime will not stop and providers will continue to receive money. We discussed the situation with the Law Society and the Legal Aid Practitioners' Group so they are aware of what we're doing.
	Payments in response to exceptional circumstances are still being made, as and when they're judged to be necessary. Where a provider has an exceptional situation that requires an urgent payment, they should contact their regional office and advise them of the urgency so that due consideration can be given."
	The LSC did not consider it necessary to publish a more formal statement, given the discussions that had taken place with the Law Society and Legal Aid Practitioners' Group. While my Noble friend Lord Bach, the Minister for Legal Aid, was involved in the wider discussions on providers' cash flow problems, he was not aware of the specific issue relating to the Financial Year end.
	The LSC allocates a designated Relationship Manager for each provider. Providers can contact with their Relationship Manager with any queries they have concerning their contracts or payments.

Legal Aid: Negligence

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2009,  Official Report, column 453W, on legal aid: negligence, when he expects the information requested to be available.

Shahid Malik: I wrote to the hon. Member on 20 April with the information sought. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Library of the House of Commons.

Offenders: Databases

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) records and  (b) data fields there are in (i) the National Offender Management Information System (C-Nomis), (ii) the Offender Risk Assessment System (OASys), (iii) the Offender Management National Infrastructure (Omni) and (iv) the Libra Case Management System.

David Hanson: There are currently 4,915 records in the C-NOMIS (now Prison-NOMIS) system using 16,639 data fields.
	Prison-NOMIS (formerly C-NOMIS) will replace the Prison Service case management system, 139 instances of Local Inmate Database System (LIDS), with an enhanced centralised system that also incorporates a fully integrated Management Information System (MIS) and Operational Reporting solution. It will therefore improve the information available to decision makers, and will increase the speed of access to information for those monitoring performance across a range of activity. The improved quality of information is expected to lead to better operational effectiveness and offender management, e.g. better sentence planning; better sentence delivery and better targeting of interventions.
	Prison OASys currently contains 178,165 and Probation e-OASys 2,738,379 offender assessments using 750 data fields. The Offender Assessment System (OASys) is critical to the offender management process in that it enables the recording of static and dynamic risk factors as well as the risk of serious harm that an offender may pose to others. The next release of OASys, due in July 2009, will provide additional functionality for practitioners enabling a more efficient approach to offender assessment. The new OASys release will facilitate a shorter offender assessment depending upon the risks the offender poses. This will enable efficiencies specifically when working with lower risk offenders. The two current OASys applications in prison and probation will be replaced during 2011 by a single application developed within the OASys R project which is a project within the NOMIS programme.
	There are 478,596 active case records held on the Libra system. There are 568,043 fields. This is the number of fields that are defined in the database. Included in these figures are fields that are system generated and therefore do not require individual data input.
	Libra replaced the ageing magistrates courts computer systems with a single, national infrastructure and case management application. This has enabled HMCS to implement standard national business processes, improving efficiency across England and Wales. The Libra system improves joined up justice by providing electronic links between the courts and criminal justice partners such as the police, CPS, OCJR, Prisons and Probation and the DVLA.
	The OASys assessments and C-NOMIS can be shared between prison and probation.
	Libra holds information in a more structured and standardised format than the legacy systems within the magistrates courts. Holding the information in a structured way enables it to be exchanged effectively between the systems of different criminal justice organisations, reducing the need for the information to be re-keyed and improving overall efficiency for both courts and criminal justice partners. This means that there are more data fields than previously, as many of these fields have defined purpose for the sharing of information. While more data fields are required, Libra re-uses these much more effectively than legacy systems and so increases efficiency both within HMCS and across the criminal justice system.
	The OMNI Infrastructure is a hardware and software mechanism for delivering IT services to the national Probation Service. It is not, in itself, a case management system and thus has no records or data fields.

TREASURY

Banks: Iceland

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date  (a) his Department and  (b) the Financial Services Authority informed local authorities of the risks in depositing funds in Icelandic banks.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) on 11 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1083W.
	The Department for Communities and Local Government's guidance on local government investments issued under section 15 of the Local Government Act 2003 is available on the Department's website at:
	http://www.local.odpm.gov.uk/finance/capital/data/lginvest2.pdf

Banks: Iran

William Hague: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 9 March 2009,  Official Report, column 101W, on banks: Iran, if he will place in the Library a copy of the advisory notice issued to all businesses on transactions with Iran.

Ian Pearson: The advisory notice issued on 11 March 2009 is available on the HM Treasury website at:
	www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/press_26_09.htm
	I am arranging for a copy to be placed in the Library.

Banks: Iran

William Hague: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the amount of assets frozen in the United Kingdom is under the EU and UN sanctions on Iran; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: All funds belonging to, owned, held or controlled by individuals or entities designated under EU and UN sanctions on Iran are required to be frozen in the UK. The Iran (Financial Sanctions) Order 2007 and the Iran (European Community Financial Sanctions) Regulations 2007 give legal effect to the EU and UN measures in the UK and include a requirement for all UK persons to report frozen funds they hold to HM Treasury.
	There is a significant amount of funds frozen in the UK under the EU and UN sanctions against Iran, as these measures have frozen the assets of Bank Sepah Iran and Bank Melli Iran, including their London-based subsidiaries, Bank Sepah International plc and Melli Bank plc.
	Given the number of entities involved it would not be appropriate to set out the total amount of funds frozen under UN and EU sanctions. To do so would breach considerations of commercial confidentiality.

Capital Gains Tax

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 21 May 2008,  Official Report, column 304W, on capital gains tax, if he will estimate the revenue implications of taxing capital gains at the same marginal rates as income tax, with indexation from April 2009 for the fiscal years  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 20 April 2009
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 23 February 2009,  Official Report, column 313W.

Council Tax: Valuation

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1184W, on inheritance tax: housing, what the differences are between a locality and a locality group in relation to the use made of them by the Valuation Office Agency.

Stephen Timms: Localities are geographic areas of dwellings, which are subject to the same or similar market forces. Locality groups comprise a set of one or more localities, which are subject to similar market forces.
	The Valuation Office Agency's Council Tax Banding Support Tool makes use of locality and locality group. The tool uses modelling techniques to identify properties that are most closely comparable to a given subject (in terms of location and property attributes) and provides the bandings of those properties. It initially searches for comparables within a subject property's immediate locality and, only where insufficient suitable comparables are available within the locality, will the remainder of the locality group be searched.

Council Tax: Valuation

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1184W, on inheritance tax: housing, if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance the Valuation Office Agency uses on making use of localities and locality groups within the council tax banding support tool.

Stephen Timms: The guidance produced for the council tax banding support tool comprises technical instruction on the use of a VOA internal IT application. It is not appropriate to publish information which might assist unauthorised access to VOA systems or databases.

Council Tax: Valuation

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2009,  Official Report, column 940W, on valuation: housing, how many locality groups in England were used by the Valuation Office Agency in  (a) 2008,  (b) 2007 and  (c) 2006.

Stephen Timms: The number of locality groups identified by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is liable to change during the course of a year to reflect the housing market. The following are approximate numbers of locality groups in England:
	
		
			   Number 
			  (a) June 2008 4,088 
			  (b) January 2007 4,349 
			  (c) June 2006 4,350

Council Tax: Valuation

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 6 November 2008,  Official Report, column 682W, on housing: valuation, if he will rank each individual locality reference in each valuation area in the South West according to value significance.

Stephen Timms: A list of locality reference numbers, ranked in order of value significance by Valuation Area within the Valuation Office Agency's South West Group, has been placed in the Library. The list is based on data extracted on 22 February 2009.
	The release of information that identifies the extent and location of each locality, relative to the list of numbers that ranks each individual locality, would prejudice commercial interests.

Debt Collection

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1181W, on debt collection: powers of entry, if he will place in the Library a copy of the HM Revenue and Customs guidance on exercising distraint in relation to powers of entry and seizing assets.

Stephen Timms: HMRC's internal guidance to staff in respect of distraint is set out in the Debt Management and Banking Manual which is available on HMRC's website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/dmbmanual/DMBM655010.htm
	HMRC also publish information about distraint aimed specifically at HMRC customers, including a fact sheet: "Distraint—what it means for you".
	This customer facing guidance is available at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/payinghmrc/problems/dontpav/debts.htm

Equitable Life Assurance Society

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the Government's response to the report of the Parliamentary Ombudsman's inquiry into the potential regulation of the Equitable Life Assurance Society, Cm 7538, from which  (a) firms,  (b) organisations and  (c) individuals the Government sought actuarial advice when preparing its response.

Ian Pearson: The Government procured actuarial advice from Oliver Wyman Ltd. when considering their response to the parliamentary ombudsman's inquiry into the prudential regulation of Equitable Life.

G20: Greater London

Theresa May: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on  (a) coaches for delegates and the media and  (b) other transportation for the London summit on 2 April 2009.

Angela Eagle: Spending on transportation costs associated with the London summit on 2 April 2009 was the responsibility of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Local Government Finance

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much each local authority deposited in the Debt Management Account Deposit Facility in the last six months.

Angela Eagle: We are not able to provide details of deposits held by each local authority on the grounds of commercial and market sensitivity.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letter to him of 18 February 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regards to Mr. Christian Callaghan-Newsham.

Ian Pearson: A reply has been sent to the right hon. Member by the Financial Services Secretary.

Ocean View Properties

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1186W, on Ocean View Properties, what the timetable is for the Financial Services Authority inquiry into the firms connected with Ocean View Properties.

Ian Pearson: It is inappropriate to discuss the details of any investigation by the Financial Services Authority, including the possible duration of that investigation.

Overseas Aid

Gregory Barker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much in contributions the UK paid to the  (a) World Bank Group,  (b) European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and  (c) European Investment Bank in each of the last five years.

Gareth Thomas: I have been asked to reply.
	The following table sets out the core contributions paid into the  (a) World Bank Group,  (b) European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in each of the last five years. DFID does not make core contributions to the European Investment Bank.
	
		
			  £000 
			   World Bank Group( 1)  European Bank for Reconstruction and Development( 1) 
			 2003-04 150,000 16,519 
			 2004-05 150,000 18,935 
			 2005-06 364,909 19,260 
			 2006-07 493,333 (2)10,532 
			 2007-08 493,387 (2)9,586 
			 (1) Includes technical co-operation. (2) From 2006-07, contributions to the EBRD have been recorded as bilateral expenditure, following new OECD Development Assistance Committee classifications. 
		
	
	Multilateral expenditure includes core contributions to multilateral organisations and aid supporting internal capacity building and administration costs. It does not include aid where the sector, theme, recipient country/region or specific project the aid will be used to support is known.

Presbyterian Mutual Society

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an assessment of the merits of providing assistance to investors in the Presbyterian Mutual Society in Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 20 April 2009
	The Government sympathise with the difficult situation faced by members of the Presbyterian Mutual Society (PMS). Organisations such as PMS, which are registered as industrial and provident societies, are exempt from regulation by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) in accepting deposits. Under Industrial and Provident Society legislation, any one member's shareholding is limited to £20,000. Members' deposits are held in the form of withdrawable share capital and societies should make clear to members that their deposits are therefore risk capital. Being outside of FSA regulation, the society and its members do not contribute to, and are therefore not protected by, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

Public Expenditure

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans the next comprehensive spending review to take place.

Yvette Cooper: Departmental budgets have been set to financial year 2010-11. The Chancellor of the Exchequer will announce the timing of the spending review process to set budgets from financial year 2011-12 in the normal way in due course.

Regional Economic Council

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who the elected local government representatives on the Regional Economic Council are.

Angela Eagle: Local authorities are represented at the Regional Economic Council through representatives nominated by the Local Government Association.
	Local government representatives have been invited from all nine regions for these meetings as well as the leader of the Local Government Association, Margaret Eaton.

Revenue and Customs

John Mason: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many complaints the Department has received from  (a) hon. and right hon. Members and  (b) members of the public as a result of processing delays relating to benefits and tax credits since March 2008; whether the Department has assessed the performance of its individual offices as a result of processing delays; whether it has taken action following such assessments; and whether the Department has assessed the effect of processing delays on individual benefit recipients;
	(2)  what the average time taken to  (a) process and  (b) issue claims for child benefit and tax credits was in each month since March 2008; and what targets the Department has for the processing and payment of child benefit;
	(3)  how many claims have been delayed as a result of child benefit and tax credit applications being lost in each month since March 2008; and what the average length of such delays has been.

Stephen Timms: Information on the number of complaints received in relation to child benefit and tax credits is published annually in the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) departmental report. Separate information on the number of complaints received in the Department as a result of processing delays is not available.
	HMRC sets its tax credits processing targets annually.
	For information about HMRC targets and performance outturn in relation to tax credits, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Northavon (Steve Webb) on 24 February 2009,  Official Report , columns 534-36W. Outturn for 2008-09 will be available later in the year.
	HMRC introduced new targets in 2008-09 that measured the time taken to pay new child benefit claims. HMRC paid 65 per cent. of new claims in nine working days against a target of 69 per cent. and paid new child benefit claims in an average of 28 calendar days against a target of 20 calendar days.
	More complex claims, including those from customers arriving from abroad, often require HMRC to make more detailed inquiries, and so HMRC may be unable to process and pay them within the usual target times. HMRC is continuously working to identify how resources can be most effectively deployed to achieve its revised aims.
	Information on the numbers of applications lost is not available.

Revenue and Customs: Borders Region

Michael Moore: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for the future of the HM Revenue and Customs Offices in  (a) Galashiels and  (b) Hawick; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: As announced last December, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) plans to close its offices in Galashiels and Hawick so that it can operate more effectively by consolidating work elsewhere. HMRC's aim is to redeploy the staff who currently work in the Galashiels and Hawick offices.
	Inquiry centre services will continue to be provided in both towns either from the existing buildings or alternative buildings nearby.

Revenue and Customs: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will arrange for a reply to be sent by the director at the tax credit office in Preston to the hon. Member for Walsall North's letters of 12 January and 26 March 2009 on a constituent, ref CSSG22 TM6 2009/01 001605 TIMP DJ.

Stephen Timms: HM Revenue and Customs have advised me that they called my hon. Friend's constituent on 24 April 2009 and will send my hon. Friend a full reply shortly. The Department apologises for the delay in doing so.

Revenue and Customs: Data Protection

Simon Burns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people whose personal data was lost by HM Revenue and Customs in 2007 who have subsequently been affected by identity theft.

Stephen Timms: HMRC are in regular contact with the banks, financial institutions and law enforcement agencies in order to ensure that any fraudulent activity relating to data loss is identified as soon as possible should it occur. There has been no evidence to suggest any fraudulent activity has occurred as a result of the personal data lost by HM Revenue and Customs in 2007.

Revenue and Customs: Scotland

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has to transfer services from Scotland to other areas of the UK; what locations are being retained by HMRC in Scotland; and what functions these offices will fulfil.

Stephen Timms: As part of the reorganisation of its business and estate across the whole of the UK, HMRC is retaining offices in the following locations in Scotland: Aberdeen; Bathgate; Cumbernauld; Dundee; East Kilbride; Edinburgh; Glasgow; Glenrothes; Inverness; Irvine; Kirkcaldy; Lerwick; Livingston; Paisley; Ullapool.
	HMRC's businesses will consolidate work in these locations in line with their business plans. All HMRC's major business streams, dealing with personal and business taxpayers and tax credit claimants, are represented in Scotland and will continue to be so. There are no plans to transfer work from Scotland to other areas of the UK. However, inquiry centre services, offering a face to face service to HMRC customers, will be retained in all locations where they are currently offered, in Scotland and elsewhere.

Tax Credit: Scotland

Ian Davidson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many  (a) families and  (b) individuals are in receipt of 
	(1)  working tax credit in (i) Scotland, (ii) Glasgow and (iii) Glasgow, South West constituency;
	(2)  child tax credit in (i) Scotland, (ii) Glasgow and (iii) Glasgow South West constituency.

Stephen Timms: Estimates of the number of families benefiting from child and working tax credits in each Government office region, local authority and parliamentary constituency are available in the latest HMRC provisional awards snapshot publication, "Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics Geographical analyses" for December 2008. The publication is available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-stats.htm
	HMRC do not produce these statistics separately for child tax credit and working tax credit.

Taxation: Housing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the £400 million of funding to stimulate housing development referred to on page 105 of the Budget 2009 Red Book will be allocated to each objective referred to on that page.

Angela Eagle: Budget 2009 announced £400 million in funding to unlock currently stalled housing developments in England. The funding will be allocated via a competitive bidding process, which will be open to all developers. The precise amount of additional funding for each component will depend on the sites that come forward from developers. The Homes and Communities Agency will set out criteria for bids shortly.

Taxation: Pensions

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Budget Statement of 22 April 2009, what percentage of expenditure incurred in the provision of tax relief would be attributed to expenditure incurred in relation to the 1.5 per cent. of pension savers if his proposals are implemented; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The effect of the measure announced at Budget 2009 is to reduce the proportion of tax relief going to those with incomes above £150,000 from just over 25 per cent. to around 15 per cent. Both estimates relate to tax relief in 2011-12.

Valuation Office

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes the Valuation Office Agency has made to its methodology for valuing properties for the purposes of stamp duty land tax in the last 24 months; and whether further changes have been planned.

Stephen Timms: The Valuation Office Agency has not changed its methodology for valuing properties for the purposes of stamp duty land tax. It has, however, together with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, issued guidance on the valuation approach that should be adopted when it is necessary to apportion the price paid for certain businesses when they are sold as a going concern. If any further alterations to this guidance are considered appropriate, then further changes will be made.

Valuation Office

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff are employed by the Valuation Office Agency.

Stephen Timms: The numbers of full-time equivalent staff employed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is 4,096 at 21 April 2009. This figure includes staff from the former Rent Service whose functions transferred to the VOA on 1 April 2009.

Valuation Office

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1191W, on the Valuation Office, on what dates the project board overseeing the  (a) electronic capture of hard copy records and  (b) installation of a geographical information system met in the last 12 months.

Stephen Timms: The project boards overseeing  (a) the electronic capture of hard copy records and  (b) the installation of a geographical information system have held regular meetings over the last 12 months.
	The dates of the respective project board meetings were:
	 (a) electronic capture of hard copy records:
	16 April 2008;
	13 May 2008;
	21 July 2008;
	29 September 2008;
	30 October 2008;
	27 November 2008;
	28 January 2009;
	19 February 2009;
	26 March 2009.
	 (b) installation of a geographical information system:
	3 April 2008;
	28 April 2008;
	13 May 2008;
	8 September 2008;
	14 October 2008;
	4 November 2008;
	10 December 2008;
	14 January 2009;
	25 February 2009;
	22 April 2009.

Valuation Office: Geographical Information Systems

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the Valuation Office Agency's new geographic information system to become operational; and what his most recent estimate is of the  (a) set-up and  (b) annual running costs of the system.

Stephen Timms: The Valuation Office Agency's (VOA) Geographic Information System (GIS) is designed to provide more accurate valuations, improving the service the VOA provides.
	The GIS is expected to be operational in January 2010, and is estimated to involve set-up costs of £2,460,000, and annual running costs of £840,000.

Valuation Office: Northern Ireland Land and Property Services

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 6 May 2008,  Official Report, column 829W, on Valuation Office: Northern Ireland Land and Property Services, what meetings have taken place since May 2008.

Stephen Timms: Two meetings of the Steering Committee on Harmonisation (Practice and Procedure) England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have taken place since the start of May 2008. These were the 47th meeting held in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, on 7-8 May 2008 and the 48th meeting in Glasgow on 12-13 November 2008.

Valuation Office: Video Recordings

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what video films the Valuation Office Agency has produced under its e-learning programme.

Stephen Timms: The VOA e-learning programmes include a number of short, internally produced digital film clips or vignettes. The VOA does not maintain a single comprehensive record of all such filmed sequences and to collate this material could be done only at disproportionate cost.

Working Tax Credit

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review the operation of the 30-hour threshold for working tax credit eligibility for childless households of working age.

Stephen Timms: Parents and people with a disability are eligible for working tax credit (WTC) if they work at least 16 hours per week, while other people, who face less of a barrier to work, are eligible from 30 hours. WTC, including the 30-hour rule, has helped improve work incentives for people on low incomes.
	To provide extra help to people working shorter hours, the Chancellor announced in the Budget that from 31 July 2009, HM Revenue and Customs will provide a four-week run of entitlement to WTC for those who cease to be eligible as a result of working fewer than 30 hours.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Smuggling: Tobacco

David Taylor: To ask the Solicitor-General pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1626W, on the Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office, how many full-time equivalent staff in the Attorney-General's office were working on the prevention of tobacco smuggling in  (a) 2007-08 and  (b) 2008-09; and what expenditure was incurred in employing such staff in each year.

Vera Baird: The Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO) is an independent Government Department. It prosecutes cases in England and Wales investigated by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA). Its independence as a prosecutor is a key constitutional safeguard.
	Its prosecutors work closely with investigators from HMRC and SOCA who are responsible for gathering evidence. Before any prosecution is initiated, its prosecutors will advise them on:
	the potential prosecution consequences of the investigation routes that might or have been followed;
	evidential requirements;
	charges;
	appropriate disclosure of material to the defence.
	As soon as criminal proceedings begin, RCPO takes over full responsibility for the conduct of the case. RCPO therefore employs no staff on the prevention of tobacco smuggling which is an inherent part of HMRC's functions.

Smuggling: Tobacco

David Taylor: To ask the Solicitor-General pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1626W, on Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office, what the estimated cost of legal action taken against those accused of tobacco smuggling offences was in  (a) 2007-08 and  (b) 2008-09.

Vera Baird: The information is as follows:
	 (a) In 2007-08 RCPO spent an estimated £2,838,268 to prosecute tobacco smuggling offences.
	 (b) In 2008-09 RCPO spent an estimated £2,152,722 to prosecute tobacco smuggling offences.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Crisis Loans

Terry Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what consultations he has undertaken on his proposal to limit claimants to three Social Fund crisis loans a year;
	(2)  what criteria he plans to use to determine whether an application for a Social Fund crisis loan will be granted in circumstances where the applicant has received three such loans in the preceding 12 months;
	(3)  what information his Department gathers to monitor the level of fraudulent applications for Social Fund crisis loans.

Kitty Ussher: holding answer 2 April 2009
	Proposed changes to the existing Crisis Loans scheme have been shared with DWP Customer Representative Groups and the Independent Review Service. Jobcentre Plus is committed to consulting on any changes before they are implemented.
	Under planned changes due to be piloted this year, an award for a Crisis Loan will generally not be granted where an applicant has received three such loans in a 12-month period. There will be circumstances in which a further award may be made when need has arisen as a consequence of a disaster.
	The Department does not gather specific information about the level of fraudulent applications for Social Fund Crisis Loans. However, any referrals of suspected fraudulent activity would be dealt with by the Fraud Investigation Service in the same way as any other referrals.

Crisis Loans

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of people given a crisis loan from the Social Fund repaid the loan in the latest period for which figures are available.

Kitty Ussher: The social fund loans scheme was introduced in 1988. Loans from the social fund are repayable over a period of 104 weeks, which can in exceptional circumstances be extended to 130 weeks. Where a customer has more than one loan the oldest is repaid first.
	Figures up to 31 March 2008 show that £1.225 billion has been awarded in crisis loans since 1988. Of this £0.947 billion, 77 per cent., has so far been repaid.

Departmental Billing

John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of invoices his Department has paid within 10 days of receipt in each of the last five months.

Jonathan R Shaw: The percentage and number of invoices paid by the Department for Work and Pensions within 10 days of receipt in each of the last five months is shown as follows.
	
		
			   Percentage of invoices paid within 10 days  Number of invoices paid within 10 days 
			 November 2008 70 44,457 
			 December 2008 64 45,505 
			 January 2009 73 43,915 
			 February 2009 86 58,281 
			 March 2009 92 61,768

Departmental Lost Property

John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what property has been lost or stolen from his Department in the last 12 months; and what the estimated cost was of replacement of such property.

Jonathan R Shaw: In accordance with guidance from HM Treasury, the Department maintains records of property that it owns, and which has been lost or stolen. In the past 12 months, no items have been recorded as lost or stolen, and there is therefore no corresponding replacement cost. These records do not include assets which are leased to, but not owned by the Department, for example under contractual arrangements.

Departmental Lost Property

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total cost of replacing lost or stolen property from his Department was in the last 12 months.

Jonathan R Shaw: In accordance with guidance from HM Treasury, the Department maintains records of property that it owns, and which has been lost or stolen. In the past 12 months, no items have been recorded as lost or stolen, and there is therefore no corresponding replacement cost. These records do not include assets which are leased to, but not owned by the Department, for example under contractual arrangements.

Employment Schemes

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what meetings  (a) he and  (b) other Ministers in his Department have had with trade union and business leaders to discuss the recruitment subsidies announced on 12 January 2009.

Tony McNulty: The Secretary of State and ministerial colleagues have ongoing discussions with business and trade union leaders about the full range of employment policies, and have discussed the recruitment subsidy on numerous occasions, including the first meeting of the National Employment Partnership on 11 February.

Incapacity Benefit

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of those in receipt of incapacity benefit who will continue to qualify for the benefit as a result of physical or mental disability following the implementation of the proposed changes to eligibility criteria.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 22 April 2009
	The White Paper, "Raising expectations and increasing support", stated that existing incapacity benefits recipients will be migrated to employment and support allowance from 2010. This will involve having the work capability assessment rather than the personal capability assessment which is a more accurate and up to date assessment of limited capability for work than its predecessor. It therefore provides a more appropriate means to ensure that individuals are receiving the correct benefit.
	We are monitoring the early stages of implementation of employment and support allowance and this will inform our estimates of the likely impact of the work capability assessment on existing incapacity benefits recipients.
	The White Paper also announced changes to the contribution conditions to modernise the link between work and access to contributory working age benefits including employment and support allowance. These changes apply to new claimants only.

Jobcentre Plus

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a copy of the Jobcentre Plus National Workload Projection updates covering the period up to 2020-21 from each quarter of the last three years.

Tony McNulty: The available information up to October 2008 has been placed in the Library.
	Jobseeker's Allowance projections are based on the planning assumption produced by HM Treasury from the average of independent forecasters' forecasts, and published at each Budget and pre-Budget Report. They do not constitute a Government forecast. Beyond the planning horizon, the projections assume that the unemployment rate remains constant, in line with the long-term projections underpinning the Long-Term Public Finance Report.

Jobcentre Plus

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the distance travelled by jobseeker's allowance claimants to the Jobcentre Plus where they sign on is recorded by Jobcentre Plus.

Tony McNulty: This information is not recorded.
	However, where it is unreasonable to expect someone to attend their nearest Jobcentre Plus office to 'sign on', we have long-standing arrangements that allow them to maintain their claim by post. These arrangements apply if:
	The customer lives more than one hour (door to door) by public transport from the nearest office; or
	Attendance means being away from home in excess of four hours; or
	The customer has a mental or physical disability that restricts mobility; and
	in other exceptional circumstances for example, where the customer would have to use a form of transport they would not ordinarily be expected to use on a regular basis, ie an inter-city train, ferry or plane

Jobcentre Plus: Internet

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Ruislip-Northwood of 26 February 2009,  Official Report, column 934W, on departmental internet, whether he plans to establish a virtual jobcentre using second life virtual world technology.

Jonathan R Shaw: The DWP Second Life initiative is in its infancy and at this stage the establishment of a virtual jobcentre is not planned.

Jobcentre Plus: Resignations

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Jobcentre Plus personal advisers in  (a) each region,  (b) each Jobcentre Plus district and  (c) total have resigned in each of the last (i) five years and (ii) 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is not available.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the average clearing time for  (a) income support applications and  (b) jobseeker's allowance applications was (i) at each benefit delivery centre and (ii) in the UK in each month of the last two years;
	(2)  how many outstanding jobseeker's allowance claims there were at each benefit delivery centre in each month of the last two years.

Tony McNulty: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Mel Groves:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions asking: what the average clearing time for income support applications and jobseeker's allowance applications was at each benefit delivery centre and in the UK in each month of the last two years; and how many outstanding jobseeker's allowance claims there were at each benefit delivery centre in each month of the last two years. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The Jobcentre Plus target for the Average Actual Clearance Time (AACT) for Income Support (IS) and Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) in the last two years is set out below. For IS the processing time commences when the customer has provided all the evidence required in order to process the claim. For JSA the time commences from the date the customer makes initial contact with Jobcentre Plus.
	
		
			  Days 
			   IS  JSA 
			 2007/08 11 12 
			 2008/09 10 11.5 
		
	
	The information has been placed in the Library. This shows the actual achievement of the AACT for IS and JSA by Benefit Delivery Centre (BDC) and the volume of outstanding claims at each BDC for each month in the last two years.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are claiming jobseeker's allowance in each of the phase one Flexible New Deal contract areas, broken down by length of claim.

Tony McNulty: The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Jobseeker's allowance claimants in each of the phase one Flexible New Deal contract areas, broken down by length of claim February 2009 
			  Phase one Flexible New Deal contract areas  0-26  w eeks  Over 26 to 52  w eeks  Over 52  w eeks 
			 Cambridgeshire and Suffolk 16,905 3,395 1,790 
			 Norfolk 10,210 2,325 1,355 
			 Derbyshire 14,080 3,220 1,425 
			 Leicestershire and Northamptonshire 22,070 4,915 2,495 
			 Lincolnshire and Rutland 8,445 1,805 810 
			 Nottinghamshire 13,575 3,740 2,360 
			 Central London 8,950 3,345 2,465 
			 Lambeth, Southwark and Wandsworth 11,230 4,020 3,025 
			 Greater Manchester Central 14,385 4,075 1,900 
			 Greater Manchester East and West 25,685 6,465 3,070 
			 Tees Valley 11,460 3,485 2,860 
			 Kent 19,430 4,055 1,855 
			 Surrey and Sussex 24,040 4,770 2,835 
			 Devon and Cornwall 19,140 3,270 1,465 
			 Birmingham and Solihull 21,965 8,800 8,995 
			 Black Country 21,555 7,000 3,525 
			 Coventry and Warwickshire 11,890 2,760 1,410 
			 Marches 15,420 2,500 1,140 
			 Staffordshire 16,040 2,980 1,190 
			 North and Mid Wales 9,690 2,095 1,610 
			 South East Wales 11,315 2,590 1,135 
			 South Wales Valleys 12,090 2,975 1,875 
			 South West Wales 9,665 1,900 635 
			 North and East Yorkshire and the Humber 23,925 6,045 2,840 
			 South Yorkshire 20,800 5,425 2,810 
			 Ayrshire, Dumfries, Galloway and Inverclyde 9,105 2,655 1,355 
			 Edinburgh, Lothian and Borders 10,970 2,145 1,035 
			 Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire 10,390 2,370 930 
			  Notes: 1. Data are rounded to the nearest five. 2. Data are published at https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/Default.asp  Source: 100 percent Count of unemployment-related benefits, Jobcentre Plus Computer Systems

National Insurance Contributions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate how many  (a) UK and  (b) non-UK residents would purchase an additional (i) six and (ii) nine years of national insurance contributions if purchasing those additional years were available only to those who already had (A) between 10 and 15 years, (B) between 15 and 20 years and (C) 20 years or more of qualifying national insurance contributions in each of the next 10 years.

Rosie Winterton: Estimates for the number of potential gainers would depend upon the level of take-up.

New Deal Schemes

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the budget for the Flexible New Deal is in each of the next three years.

Tony McNulty: Budgets and annual profiles for flexible New Deal phase 1 are subject to ongoing commercial negotiation and review.

New Deal Schemes

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what his latest estimate is of the number of people expected to be referred to phase 1 of the Flexible New Deal;
	(2)  what proportion of jobseekers he expects phase one of the Flexible New Deal to cover.

Tony McNulty: All jobseekers in phase 1 areas who have claimed Jobseeker's Allowance for 12 months will be referred to the Flexible New Deal. Customers in our priority groups will be referred to the Flexible New Deal after six months. Phase 1 of the Flexible New Deal will cover 28 out of a total of 48 Jobcentre Plus Districts.
	The Department does not forecast levels of long-term unemployment or the future number of claimants of Jobseeker's Allowance. However, for planning purposes the Department does make use of the HM Treasury unemployment assumption, which is based on an average of a number of independent unemployment forecasts. These figures are planning assumptions only and do not reflect an official view of numbers of unemployed people or the duration of unemployment. An update to this assumption will be published in the Budget.
	The Department has not issued revised estimates of the number of starts to the Flexible New Deal. The Department has however asked bidders for Flexible New Deal contracts to draw up plans that are capable of supporting a wide range of customer referral volumes reflecting a range of possible labour market scenarios over the next three to five years.

New Deal Schemes

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a copy of the latest version of the  (a) provision specification and  (b) supporting information for phase one of the flexible New Deal (fND) including (i) estimates of the number of starts to the fND, (ii) budgets and (iii) payment models.

Tony McNulty: The provision specification and supporting information for Phase One of Flexible New Deal were published in the Invitation to Tender (ITT) in July 2008. A copy of the ITT and the letters issued in February inviting supplementary information from shortlisted suppliers has been placed in the Library.
	The Department has not issued revised estimates of the number of starts to Flexible New Deal. The Department has however asked bidders for Flexible New Deal contracts to draw up plans that are capable of supporting a wide range of customer referral volumes reflecting a range of possible labour market scenarios over the next three to five years.
	The budget for Flexible New Deal is being finalised following the Budget. However the Government are committed to ensuring that all who are out of work receive support that will offer them the best chance to get back into sustained employment, in line with the White Paper 'Raising expectations and increasing support: reforming welfare for the future'(Cm7506) published in December 2008.
	The Department will retain a performance and payment regime based largely on outcomes, providing suppliers with the opportunity to develop innovative, individually tailored solutions. In the initial phase of the contract (first 18 months), we will consider alternative models based on a higher service fee element. After the initial phase of the contract we anticipate that the funding model will be based on 80 per cent. (outcome) and 20 per cent. (fee based) as originally announced. This is described in the material to be placed the Library.

Social Security Benefits

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the voluntary drug rehabilitation scheme for benefit claimants; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Progress2work, the Department's voluntary employment programme for recovering drug users was reviewed in 2008 by the Policy Studies Institute. The report 'Progress2work and Progress2work linkup: an exploratory study to assess evaluation possibilities', DWP research report 464, has been placed in the Library and is available on the DWP website:
	www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2007-2008/rrep464.pdf

Social Security Benefits: Greater London

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households were in receipt of  (a) income support,  (b) incapacity benefit and  (c) employment support allowance in each London (i) borough and (ii) constituency at (A) 31 March 2005 and (B) 31 December 2008.

Tony McNulty: Information about households in receipt of income support or incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance is not available at borough or constituency level. DWP will be publishing National Statistics on employment and support allowance in summer 2009. The available information has been placed in the Library.

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to his oral evidence to the Joint Committee on Human Rights on 18 November 2008, HC397, Q65-71, what advice he received on the concurrence of the devolved administrations with the Government's proposed reservation to the UK's ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the proposed reservation on education.

Jonathan R Shaw: The devolved Administrations have been fully consulted throughout our work towards ratification of the UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities. They advised that they were content. This process has included consultation with the Northern Ireland Executive on the proposed reservation in respect of education.

Winter Fuel Payments

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many families had cold weather payments paid manually during the most recent period of cold weather;
	(2)  for what reason families in receipt of both child tax credit and disability living allowance for their children experienced difficulties in receiving cold weather payments after the recent period of below-freezing temperatures; and how many families were so affected.

Kitty Ussher: The vast majority of customers who qualify for a cold weather payment are paid automatically following a spell of cold weather. Customers in receipt of a qualifying benefit who are eligible to receive a cold weather payment because they have a disabled child aged five or over in the family and receive support for that child via child tax credit are paid clerically. Families entitled to receive a payment in these circumstances are identified by scans of the relevant computer systems which means they will not receive payments as quickly as those customers who can be identified and paid automatically.
	For the most recent period of cold weather, approximately 33,000 cold weather payments have been or will be issued clerically to these customers. The number of such customers (as opposed to the number of payments) is not available. For the same period we estimate that over 5 million payments have been issued automatically to eligible customers.
	Information about the number of families who have had cold weather payments paid manually for other reasons is not available.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Business: Accountancy

Ian Taylor: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many fines Companies House has imposed on small and medium-sized companies for late submission of accounts in the last  (a) six and  (b) 12 months.

Ian Pearson: As provided for in section 242A of the Companies Act 1985 and section 453 of the Companies Act 2006, all accounts which are delivered late to the Registrar of Companies are subject to a late filing penalty. Over the past six months, 137,029 sets of accounts were delivered late. Over the past 12 months, 255,012 sets of accounts were delivered late. This reflects the fact that, of the 1,903,595 sets of accounts delivered to the Registrar over the last 12 months, 87 per cent. were delivered on time.
	The Companies Act does not require a company to identify itself as "large", "medium" or "small". It is not therefore possible to say how many of these penalties were incurred by small or medium-sized companies.

Business: Government Assistance

Mark Hoban: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how long he expects the  (a) Enterprise Finance Guarantee and  (b) Working Capital scheme to operate.

Ian Pearson: The Enterprise Finance Guarantee is available to viable businesses struggling to access finance, due to the economic downturn, from 14 January 2009 until 31 March 2010.
	The Working Capital Scheme is not available directly to businesses. The scheme enables participating banks to increase the amount of working capital they can make available to businesses.
	By guaranteeing portfolios of working capital facilities, this will release regulatory capital held by the banks against these portfolios. The banks have agreed they will make commitments to re-deploy this capital in order to increase all types of lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-sized corporates above their current base line. The scheme runs until 31 March 2011.

Business: Government Assistance

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many publicly-funded business support schemes there are in the Business Support Simplification Programme; what the cost of these schemes was in the last year for which figures are available; how many publicly-funded business support schemes he expects there to be once the programme is complete; what estimate he has made of their total cost; and what estimate he has made of the cost of the programme in  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) subsequent years.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 25 February 2009
	The Government announced Solutions for Business, their streamlined portfolio of business support products, in October 2008 with 30 schemes to be in place by March 2009, all other schemes will have closed, or been given notice to close by March 2010. Business Link will be the main access channel to this support.
	Solutions for Business is flexible to changing economic circumstances and business need. The Government have committed to keep the streamlined portfolio at less than 100 products in total, covering all of the £2.5 billion spend on business support announced at the beginning of the programme.
	The Impact Assessment published December 2007 estimated the cost of the programme to be £5 million, of which £l million was estimated for 2008-09. These costs represent the time/opportunity costs of staff implementing the change programme. Costs in the future will change through transition, however, BERR does not account for other departmental and delivery partner costs.

Business: Government Assistance

Jim Cousins: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many loans were guaranteed under the small firms loan guarantee scheme  (a) in the UK,  (b) in each region and  (c) in each county in each year from 2004-05 to 2007-08; and what the value of loans guaranteed in each area in each of those years was.

Ian Pearson: The information is as follows:
	
		
			  Number of SFLG loans 
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 North West 745 605 310 326 
			 North East 236 229 125 110 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 565 494 217 186 
			 West Midlands 636 535 244 231 
			 East Midlands (1)1,162 415 168 176 
			 East of England (1)— 510 223 223 
			 London & (1)2,007 824 467 370 
			 South East (1)— 986 377 321 
			 South West 748 578 212 212 
			 Scotland 643 476 235 259 
			 Wales 344 251 100 208 
			 Northern Ireland 44 53 24 27 
			 Total 7,130 5,956 2,702 2,649 
		
	
	
		
			  Value of SFLG 
			  £m illion 
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 North West 54.415 45.220 24.161 27.170 
			 North East 15.334 17.097 7.925 8.350 
			 Yorkshire & Humber 37.364 35.875 17.047 15.170 
			 West Midlands 39.714 36.195 18.833 16.777 
			 East Midlands (1)78.398 28.917 12.364 13.457 
			 East of England (1)— 33.598 15.848 16.776 
			 London (1)141.399 58.050 37.309 32.160 
			 South East (1)— 70.557 29.309 25.328 
			 South West 46.313 40.107 17.047 17.047 
			 Scotland 42.748 34.898 20.303 22.333 
			 Wales 21.607 16.072 8.585 8.961 
			 Northern Ireland 4.032 5.479 3.023 2.806 
			 Total 481.324 422.065 211.754 206.335 
			 (1) Represents a brace. 
		
	
	The number and value of loans for the above was extracted from the respective Industrial Development Act reports. The Small Firms Loan Guarantee (SFLG) Annual Report 2007-08 has updated figures for the totals of number and value of loans for 2006-07 and 2007-08. However, these data are not produced by county.
	Since the Graham Review, lenders record a guaranteed loan on a web portal after the money has been drawn down by the business, however, occasionally later updating occurs which for 2006-07 and 2007-08 is better reflected in the SFLG Annual Report 2007-08 as it incorporates more recent extracts from the web portal and thus more fully updated totals for these years.
	Direct year-on-year comparisons would not be appropriate because of changes to the operation and delivery of SFLG during this period, including as a result of the implementation of the Graham Review changes in 2005, which created distinct versions of the scheme.

Departmental ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the  (a) energy consumed by,  (b) energy cost of and  (c) carbon dioxide emissions from each category of IT device in each division of his Department and its predecessor in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: The information requested is as follows:
	 Energy Cost of the PCs Within BERR:
	The PCs used in BERR for the last five years have had Blue Angel Certification for low energy consumption and comply with the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Directive. (Built using recycled plastic, reduced-lead circuit boards and the manuals are printed on paper that hasn't been bleached with chloride). We are unable to provide further information as this would incur disproportionate cost.
	 Energy Consumption of PCs and Printers within BERR: Carbon Footprint
	The production of these costs entailed the use of a number of assumptions on usage and staff working practices. To provide more accurate data would require metering at the individual desk level which is not practical.
	
		
			   Electricity  c ost (£)  Carbon  f ootprint (metric tons) 
			 2009 121,457 (1)353.3 
			 2008 73,018 297.6 
			 2007 72,928 319.1 
			 2006 76,306 367.9 
			 2005 66,500 427.9 
			 (1) Projected cost

Foreign Workers

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether he expects a resident labour market test to apply to the movement of workers under mode 4 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 30 March 2009
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Borders and Immigration on 30 March 2009,  Official Report, column 953W.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when he plans to reply to the letter of 12 February 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mr J Parris.

Patrick McFadden: I will reply to my right hon. Friend as soon as possible.

Minimum Wage

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when the Government plan next to uprate the national minimum wage.

Patrick McFadden: The independent Low Pay Commission will make its recommendations on the national minimum wage to Government by 1 May. The Government will respond to these recommendations shortly after, and will inform the House by Parliamentary Statement of any changes to the national minimum wage rates. Any changes to the rates will be brought into effect from 1 October 2009.

Olympic Games 2012: Fairtrade Initiative

Mike Wood: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what plans his Department has to ensure that fair trade principles and products are promoted at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Gareth Thomas: The organisers of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympics games are committed to promoting safe and sustainable food during the games and to seeking opportunities to promote the use of local, seasonal, fairtrade and organic produce. This Department supports these aims and will continue to encourage London 2012 in achieving them.

Post Offices: Closures

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 19 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1279W, on post offices: closures, when he expects the managing director of Post Office Ltd. to write to the hon. Member for Huntingdon.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 24 April 2009
	I have asked Post Office Ltd. to reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Small Businesses: Females

Justine Greening: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much funding has been distributed to businesses from his Department's Aspire Fund since 19 November 2008; how many companies have received such funding; and how many awards from the fund have been  (a) below £100,000,  (b) between £100,000 and £299,000,  (c) between £300,000 and £499,000,  (d) between £500,000 and £749,000,  (e) between £750,000 and £999,000,  (f) between £1 million and £1.49 million,  (g) between £1.5 million and £2 million and (h) over £2 million.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 27 February 2009
	As at 25 March 2009, the Aspire Fund has received 52 enquiries from potential applicants and a number of these have been advised of the need to find a lead investor for Aspire to invest alongside and others have been referred to Business Link and their supporting providers for additional investment readiness support.
	21 of the businesses enquiring about Aspire have provided business plans and have private investment identified. Of these, 10 have been rejected as not meeting Aspire Fund criteria and two have withdrawn having raised funding elsewhere. Nine proposals are under active consideration. The fund would expect to issue a funding offer shortly.

Telecommunications: Competition

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when he expects a report on the impact of the convergence of the UK communications market, as referred to in the Byron Review Action Plan, to be published.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 23 April 2009
	In October 2008 the Convergence Think Tank was superseded by the Digital Britain project. This project, which draws on the work done by the Convergence Think Tank and other reviews, will develop an action plan to secure the UK's place at the forefront of innovation, investment and quality in the digital and communications industries. The interim Digital Britain report was published on 29 January 2009 and the final report is due in the summer this year.

USA

Mark Prisk: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the cost was of  (a) flights,  (b) accommodation and  (c) other expenses for the Secretary of State's visit to New York in February 2009.

Patrick McFadden: Since 1999, the Government have published a list of all overseas travel by Cabinet Ministers costing over £500. Information for the last financial year, 2008-09, will be published later in the year and will include details in respect of all Ministers. All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code.

USA: Exports

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform with reference to the answer of 8 July 2002,  Official Report, columns 652-4W, on export licences, whether licences are still being granted for the export to the US of components for F-16 aircraft and Apache helicopters for possible onward export to Israel; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 2 April 2009,  Official Report, column 1434W.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many officials in his Department are suspended; how many are suspended on full pay; for how long each has been suspended; and what the reasons are for each such suspension.

Si�n Simon: In the Department, as at 31 March 2009, no employees were suspended from duty.

Departmental ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of the  (a) energy consumed by,  (b) energy cost of and  (c) carbon dioxide emissions from each category of IT device in each division of his Department since its establishment; and if he will make a statement.

Si�n Simon: Because the buildings that the Department shares with other Departments do not have sub-metering on individual floors, we do not have accurate measures of the Department's energy consumption.
	There have been no energy estimates split down by the category of IT device or by divisions of the Department.

Departmental ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps his Department has taken to address the effect on levels of carbon dioxide emissions from his Department of its ICT purchases since the publication of the Greening Government ICT Strategy; and if he will make a statement.

Si�n Simon: Since the publication of the Greening Government ICT Strategy, the Department has continued to follow an IT strategy of sharing as much of the IT infrastructure as possible with other Departments. ICT purchases have been for replacement items or items to extend the life of the current service.

Departmental ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the average server capacity utilisation by each division of his Department was in each year since its creation; and if he will make a statement.

Si�n Simon: The Department procures IT services from an IT supplier on a whole department basis. There is no subdivision of the servers or services between the various divisions of the Department. Servers are monitored for operational management purposes. Average server utilisation is not routinely recorded.

Departmental ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many and what proportion of IT products in each category procured for each division of his Department were compliant with the Government's Buy Sustainable-Quick Win standard in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Si�n Simon: The Department procures IT products and services from a catalogue of standard items under an IT services contract that was set up in 2007, before the publication of the Quick Win standards. Since we have not changed our laptops, desktops, monitors, or printers since the start of the IT services contract, there has been no opportunity to use the Buy Sustainable-Quick Win standards.
	Under the terms of the contract, the supplier will use all reasonable endeavours to improve the environmental impact of the services provided.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what  (a) capital and  (b) resource funds his Department has brought forward from its (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11 budgets for use in (A) 2008-09 and (B) 2009-10; and what schemes this funding is being used to support.

Si�n Simon: All departmental funding brought forward from 2010-11 is capital expenditure. The total amount brought forward was 442 million: 167 million to 2008-09 and 275 million to 2009-10.
	This investment will accelerate support for around 25 capital projects to improve further education infrastructure and around 50 projects to improve facilities at higher education institutions and will bring forward development of scientific research facilities and improvements to university research infrastructure.

Education: Safety

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps his Department takes to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements in respect of learners; and what such steps he plans to take in relation to the National Apprenticeship Service.

Si�n Simon: Under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, responsibility for the health and safety of learners rests with the employer, including providers, on whose premises the learning is taking place. To support this, the Learning and Skills Council is required under the Learning and Skills Act 2000 to ensure that the provision which it secures is of a quality adequate to meet the reasonable needs of learners. To fulfil this duty, the LSC seeks, among other things, to ensure that the training environment of employers is both healthy and safe, including where necessary through assessments of the suitability of training facilities, and by making it a condition of funding for providers to satisfy themselves as to the health and safety suitability of employers' premises.
	The Department and the Department for Children, Schools and Families take the health and safety of all learners, including apprentices, very seriously. The Learning and Skills Council, and the Skills Funding Agency which will replace it, will continue to work with providers and employers to ensure that the health and safety of learners, including apprentices over the age of 19, is of paramount importance.
	Individual local authorities are already responsible for safeguarding learners in their areas, and under the new arrangements, this will include apprentices up to the age of 19. The National Apprenticeship Service is currently part of the Learning and Skills Council, and under the new arrangements, it will be housed within the Skills Funding Agency which will have adequate resource and appropriate expertise to deliver this important function. It is therefore not necessary to put separate arrangements in place for the NAS.

English Language: GCSE

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many adult learners have been entered for GCSE English  (a) language and  (b) literature examinations in each year since 1990.

Si�n Simon: Table 1 shows the number of achievements by adult learners in LSC-funded further education provision of GCSE English language and GCSE English literature in each academic year since 2003/04, the earliest year for which we have comparable information.
	
		
			  Table 1: Achievements by adults (aged 19+) in LSC-funded further education provision of GCSE English language and GCSE English literature, 2003/04 to 2007/08 
			  Academic year  GCSE English language  GCSE English literature  Of which: achieving both 
			 2003/04 8,770 220 70 
			 2004/05 8,760 160 70 
			 2005/06 8,440 110 40 
			 2006/07 8,270 140 80 
			 2007/08 7,520 80 60 
			  Notes: 1. Age is based on age as at 31 August (academic age). 2. This information does not include learners studying GCSE English language or GCSE English literature in schools or higher education institutions. 3. Learners achieving both GCSE English language and GCSE English literature are included in both of the columns for these GCSEs and also the column for learners achieving both. 4. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: FE ILR. 
		
	
	Awarding Body data on GCSE examination entries are analysed by the Department for Children, Schools and Families as part of the School and College Achievement and Attainment Tables publication. However, this work only covers qualifications entered for by 16 to 18-year-olds. Therefore, we do not have information readily available on adults being entered for GCSE English language and GCSE English literature examinations.
	A GCSE may not necessarily be the most appropriate learning outcome for many learners and colleges have been encouraged to advise learners to study the most relevant qualification to them. Many learners who may previously have undertaken a GCSE in English now have their language needs picked up through embedded learning in other courses.
	Over the past few years, the Government have prioritised investment in adult skills towards those courses that best provide individuals with the skills to enter into sustained employment and progress into further learning. This strategy has paid dividends with record levels of adults participating in Skills for Life (numeracy and literacy), full level 2 and full level 3 qualifications.

Higher Education: Birmingham

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what percentage of school leavers resident in  (a) Birmingham Hall Green constituency and  (b) Birmingham entered higher education in each of the last 10 years.

David Lammy: The Government do not collect data on the number of school leavers who do not go on to higher education who are resident in a particular area, so it is not possible to calculate the percentage of school leavers for Hall Green constituency and Birmingham local authority who do go on to higher education.
	The number of 18-year-old undergraduate entrants from Hall Green constituency and Birmingham local authority are shown as an alternative in the following table.
	
		
			  18-year- old undergraduate entrants( 1)  from Hall Green Constituency( 2)  and Birmingham local authority,( 2)  UK higher education institutions( 3) 
			   18-year- old entrants 
			  Academic year  Hall Green  Birmingham 
			 1998/99 190 2,035 
			 1999/2000 190 2,220 
			 2000/01 185 2,215 
			 2001/02 215 2,345 
			 2002/03 225 2,550 
			 2003/04 245 2,570 
			 2004/05 270 2,595 
			 2005/06 250 2,785 
			 2006/07 250 2,675 
			 2007/08 260 2,700 
			 (1) Covers entrants studying both full-time and part-time courses. (2) Parliamentary constituency and local authority are defined by full and valid home postcodes, returned by the student to HESA. (3) Excludes the open university due to inconsistencies in their coding of entrants across the time series.  Notes:  Figures are based on a snapshot as at 1 December and are rounded to the nearest five.  Source:  Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

Petrol Alternatives

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much his Department and its predecessors have spent on the  (a) research and  (b) development of alternative fuel technologies for motor vehicles in each of the last five years.

David Lammy: The Research Councils and the Technology Strategy Board, funded through the Department's Science and Research, and Innovation Budgets respectively, support a portfolio of research into alternative fuel technologies for motor vehicles.
	The Research Councils' expenditure on relevant research is as follows:
	
		
			  000 
			   Biofuel  Hydrogen and other vectors 
			 2003-04 135 1,494 
			 2004-05 92 1,477 
			 2005-06 184 1,499 
			 2006-07 326 1,208 
			 2007-08 300 3,290 
		
	
	In addition, Research Councils funded the following relevant related research:
	
		
			  000 
			   Fuel cells  Biomass 
			 2003-04 1,193 1,043 
			 2004-05 917 1,134 
			 2005-06 1,207 1,671 
			 2006-07 2,300 2,135 
			 2007-08 2,255 3,813 
		
	
	The Technology Strategy Board was established in July 2007 and at that stage inherited DTI's support for collaborative R and D projects.
	Since April 2004, when the Collaborative R and D programme was established in DTI, 18 projects have been supported where the main focus is alternative fuel technologies for motor vehicles (specifically on biofuels, hybrid drive systems and fuel cells). The total cost of the projects (which did not start until early 2005) was 41 million with the public sector providing 19 million grant funding. Of this, the grant funding provided to date is approximately as follows:
	
		
			   TSB alternative fuel technology projects  (000) 
			 2004-05 500 
			 2005-06 1,500 
			 2006-07 2,500 
			 2007-08 4,000 
			 2008-09 5,500 
		
	
	The Technology Strategy Board also launched in September 2007 a 100 million Low Carbon Vehicles Innovation Platform bringing together funding from the Technology Strategy Board, Department for Transport, Engineering and Physical Science Research Council, and the Regional Development Agencies Advantage West Midlands and One North East. The Innovation Platform has recently launched competitions to support the development of low carbon vehicles, including a 10 million demonstration programme to put at least 100 ultra low carbon vehicles on the roads in the UK by the end of 2009.

Students: Finance

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people expecting to start higher education in 2009 have registered for financial support with Student Finance England; and how many such students had registered by the same time last year.

David Lammy: Figures obtained from the Student Loans Company show that by 21 April 2009, 125,000 applications had been registered from people expecting to start higher education in academic year 2009/10. At the equivalent point last year the figure was 75,000: however the registration process opened earlier this year on 9 February, compared with 8 March last year.

Students: Loans

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many and what proportion of former students owing money to the Student Loans Company are making use of the five-year repayment holiday.

David Lammy: Certain graduates will be eligible for a repayment holiday from April 2012.
	Graduates will be eligible to take a repayment holiday if they started a higher education course in 2008/09 or later, are taking out their first student loan and are due to enter repayment for the first time in April 2012 or later.

Students: Loans

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many graduates were repaying tuition fee loans at nine per cent. above the 15,000 earnings threshold in  (a) 2006-07,  (b) 2007-08 and  (c) 2008-09.

David Lammy: Tuition fee loans were introduced in academic year 2006/07 for new students. Borrowers become liable to repay their loans from the April after they graduate or otherwise leave their course, if their annual income is above 15,000. Borrowers earning less than 15,000 are not required to make repayments. A student who took out a tuition fee loan in the first year they were available and who completes a typical three-year course will therefore become liable to begin repaying from April 2010, if their income is above the repayment threshold.
	The Statistical First ReleaseStudent Loans for Higher Education in England, Financial Year 2007-08 (Provisional) is available from the Student Loans Company website at:
	www.slc.co.uk/pdf/slcsfr022008.pdf
	This shows less than 100 students repaying fee loans at the end of 2006-07 and 200 at the end of 2007-08. Figures for 2008-09 will be published in July 2009.

Train to Gain Programme

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills whether a portion of the additional funding for Train to Gain announced in the pre-Budget report will be used to fund university student grants.

Si�n Simon: holding answer 15 January 2009
	Train to Gain is the Government's flagship service to employers to improve the skills for their employees and the productivity of their business.
	Train to Gain is a growing programme and we plan to invest 925 million through Train to Gain in 2009-10. By 2010-11, we will be investing over 1 billion through Train to Gain.
	The pre-Budget report announced that small and medium sized enterprises will be the focus of the 350 million planned growth in Train to Gain funding over the next two years to help them get the training they need. The 2009-10 grant letter to the Learning and Skills Council sets out the budget for Train to Gain. There is no expectation that any Train to Gain funding will be diverted to fund university student grants.

HEALTH

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 667-68W, on abortion, on what date and at what time the abortion statistics for 2008 will be published; when they will be uploaded to his Department's website; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Statistical Bulletin Abortion Statistics, England and Wales: 2008 will be published on 21 May 2009 at 9.30 am on the Department's website
	www.dh.gov.uk.
	A copy will be placed in the Library.

Chlamydia: Screening

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons reports are not made to the National Chlamydia Screening Programme of chlamydia tests carried out in genito-urinary medicine clinics.

Dawn Primarolo: Chlamydia screening data from genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics are part of a clinic aggregate return (KC60) and is not currently available by primary care trust (PCT) of the patients or age of patient.
	The Department and the Health Protection Agency are implementing a new sexually transmitted infection data set for GUM, which will replace the KC60. This will provide data on numbers tested for chlamydia (under 25) in GUM services by PCT of residence. We expect full national roll-out later this year.
	The National Chlamydia Screening Programme was set up to target asymptomatic individuals under the age of 25, who were not usually presenting for chlamydia testing. Information on the number of people screened is collected by PCT of residence and data are assigned to each individual PCT.
	For the first year of the vital signs indicator (2007-08), relating to chlamydia, the emphasis was on counting and increasing all community testing. Once testing is sufficiently embedded within the community, we will then use all community data along with GUM tests to monitor progress towards reducing chlamydia prevalence in each PCT.

Coeliac Disease

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people were diagnosed with coeliac disease at the latest date for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the average period between referral from a diagnosis with coeliac disease and assessment by a dietician was in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(3)  how many patients with coeliac disease had an annual review undertaken in the  (a) secondary care and  (b) primary care sectors in the last 12 months.

Ann Keen: The information requested is not collected.

Coeliac Disease

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the NHS spent on prescriptions for gluten-free products in  (a) 2006,  (b) 2007 and  (c) 2008.

Dawn Primarolo: The net ingredient cost (NIC) of gluten-free products prescription items written in the United Kingdom and dispensed in the community in England, by calendar year, as defined in the British National Formulary (BNF), is given as follows.
	
		
			  NIC of gluten-free prescriptions dispensed in England, 2006-08 
			   000 
			 2006 31,316.6 
			 2007 32,008.2 
			 2008 35,241.2 
			  Source: Prescription Cost Analysis 
		
	
	The BNF does not categorise gluten-free products in a specific section. The figures listed relate to all BNF items with 'G/F' (gluten-free) within their name. Gluten-free products are covered predominantly in section 9.4.1Foods for Special Diets of the BNF but items are also included in other sections including prescriptions relating to enteral nutrition and laxatives.

Coeliac Disease

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of locally enhanced service arrangements related to coeliac disease.

Ann Keen: No such assessment has been undertaken. As this is a locally commissioned service, individual primary care trusts are expected to monitor effectiveness.

Contraceptives: Finance

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of the funding for contraception announced by his Department on 26 February 2009 has been allocated to each strategic health authority.

Dawn Primarolo: The following table shows the sums which will be allocated to strategic health authorities (SHAs) in 2009-10 to assist with improving access to contraceptive services, particularly for young people. The announcement on 26 February 2009 stated that 1 million would be allocated in respect of further education (FE) colleges.
	The Department found, subsequent to the announcement, that SHAs had received a large number of bids and were keen to respond to these and to receive more than 1 million to expand contraceptive services in FE colleges. We therefore increased this allocation to 1.6 million.
	
		
			   
			  SHA  Contraception  FE colleges  Total 
			 North East 780,000 150,000 930,000 
			 North West 1,210,000 200,000 1,410,000 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 1,010,000 150,000 1,160,000 
			 East Midlands 900,000 150,000 1,050,000 
			 West Midlands 1,000,000 150,000 1,150,000 
			 East of England 1,000,000 150,000 1,150,000 
			 London 1,300,000 200,000 1,500,000 
			 South East Coast 900,000 150,000 1,050,000 
			 South Central 900,000 150,000 1,050,000 
			 South West 1,000,000 150,000 1,150,000 
			 Total 10,000,000 1,600,000 11,600,000 
		
	
	In addition to the funding announced on 26 February, each SHA will also receive an additional 250,000 to pump-prime the provision of information technology in community contraception services.
	SHAs have been advised of these allocations.

Contraceptives: Finance

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to repeat for 2009-10 the allocation of additional funding under general allocations to primary care trusts for contraception services made for 2008-09.

Dawn Primarolo: Primary care trust (PCT) allocations are being increased by 5.5 per cent. in both 2009-10 and 2010-11a total cash increase of 8.6 billion. PCT allocations are not broken down into funding for individual policy streams such as contraception services. Rather it is for the national health service locally to decide how much resource to invest in order to meet national and local priorities as set out in the NHS Operating Framework, which mentions tackling teenage pregnancy as a key priority for local action.

Dental Services

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of dentistry was carried out by  (a) NHS and  (b) private dentists in (i) 1997 and (ii) the most recent period for which figures are available.

Ann Keen: The information requested is not held centrally.

Dental Services

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the level of dental health inequalities in England; and what steps he is taking to tackle such inequalities.

Ann Keen: Despite major improvements in oral health during the last 30 years, there remains a strong association between oral health and social disadvantage. The 2003 National Survey of Child Dental Health showed that the probability of five-year old children having decayed primary teeth was about 50 per cent. higher in the poorest social groups than the wealthiest group. Among 15-year-olds from managerial and professional backgrounds, 47 per cent. had obvious decay experience compared with 65 per cent. from routine and manual socio-economic backgrounds.
	The fluoridation of water offers the best prospect of reducing these inequalities. The Water Act 2003 gives strategic health authorities (SHAs) the power to instruct water companies to fluoridate supplies. Last autumn, South Central strategic health authority consulted the public on fluoridating Southampton and parts of south west Hampshire and, on 26 February, decided to proceed with fluoridation. A number of other SHAs are now actively considering the possibility of new water fluoridation schemes.
	Recognising that it may not be feasible to fluoridate all high need areas, the Government have developed the 'Brushing for Life' programme. 'Brushing for Life' involves health visitors giving families with young children in high need areas advice on preventing dental decay, and a free pack containing a tube of fluoridated toothpaste, a toothbrush and a leaflet on oral hygiene. In many areas, the programme is delivered in Sure Start Children's Centres. Some 18,000 packs were issued in 2008.

Dental Services

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will survey attitudes among the public and dentists to the new dental contract introduced in 2006.

Ann Keen: In December, the Department asked Professor Jimmy Steele to lead an independent review of national health service dentistry and his remit includes looking at current contractual arrangements, as well as specific issues raised in last summer's Health Select Committee report on dental services. Professor Steele is engaging widely with the public, the dental professions and the NHS, including on attitudes towards the dental contract. He is due to report his findings in the summer.

Dental Services: Surrey

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the percentage of people in  (a) Guildford constituency,  (b) Waverley district and  (c) Surrey who do not see a dentist regularly; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The information requested is not collected centrally. However, the number of patients seen by a national health service dentist in the previous 24-month period as a percentage of the population is available in Table D4 of Annex 3 of the report NHS Dental Statistics for England, Quarter 2: 30 September 2008. Information is provided by primary care trust (PCT) and by strategic health authority and is available for each quarter from 31 March 2006 to 30 September 2008.
	This report, published on 26 February 2009, has already been placed in the Library and is available on the website of the Information Centre for health and social care at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dentalstats0809q2.
	Patients not recorded as having seen an NHS dentist may have chosen to receive regular dental care from a private dentist.
	The dental reforms implemented in 2006 gave primary care trusts (PCTs), for the first time, the responsibility for providing or commissioning dental services in their area. It is for PCTs to assess local needs, review current service provision and develop services to meet local needs. The Department has recently established an expanded national dental access programme to help managers and clinicians rapidly to expand services where needed and to provide support to those who need it.

Departmental Assets

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department last reviewed its assets and land and property holdings with a view to identifying and disposing of surpluses.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department is constantly reviewing its land and property holdings held in the name of the Secretary of State for Health to identify those which are surplus. It currently holds approximately 80 hectares of land and buildings which are surplus to requirements and is actively pursuing a disposal programme.

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many officials in his Department are suspended; how many are suspended on full pay; for how long each has been suspended; and what the reasons are for each such suspension.

Ben Bradshaw: Currently there are no civil servants suspended across the Department.

Depressive Illnesses

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the likely effects of proposed National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance on depression, with particular reference to the role of counselling for depression, on the treatment of people with depression.

Phil Hope: No assessment has been made. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has yet to publish its updated clinical guideline on the treatment and management of depression in adults. It expects to publish this in September 2009.
	Further information can be found on the NICE website:
	www.nice.org.uk/Guidance/CG/WaveR/24

Epilepsy

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the merits of appointing a national clinical director for epilepsy.

Ann Keen: We have no plans to appoint a national director for epilepsy. National directors oversee the implementation of specific National Service Frameworks or major clinical or service strategies. In line with devolving responsibility to local organisations, we believe that it is more appropriate for local health and social care communities and the third sector to take responsibility for driving forward the service changes and improvements envisaged by the National Service Framework for Long-term Conditions.

Epilepsy: Health Services

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedures are in place to provide for accurate monitoring of the prevalence of epilepsy in  (a) adults and  (b) children on the part of primary care trusts.

Ann Keen: The national health service does not monitor the prevalence of specific medical conditions, including epilepsy.

Fertility: Medical Treatments

Lynda Waltho: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what counselling services are available on the NHS for couples seeking NHS-funded infertility treatment.

Dawn Primarolo: All clinics providing infertility treatment such as in vitro fertilisation are required in law to offer counselling about the treatment to be provided. If the treatment involves the use of donated gametes or embryos, patients must be given a suitable opportunity to receive counselling about the implications. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's code of practice for licensed clinics requires counselling to be provided only by licensed counsellors.

Food Poisoning

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people diagnosed as having food poisoning have been admitted to hospital in England in each year since 2000.

Dawn Primarolo: The estimated number of hospital admissions in England and Wales due to foodborne disease in the years 2000-07 are shown in the following table. Separate figures for England only are not available.
	Figures provided are for estimated cases of foodborne disease which are United Kingdom-acquired. Cases associated with foreign travel are excluded. Data for 2007 are the most recent that are currently available.
	
		
			   Hospital admissions, England and Wales 
			 2000 20,800 
			 2001 (1) 
			 2002 (1) 
			 2003 17,200 
			 2004 17,400 
			 2005 17,300 
			 2006 17,400 
			 2007 18,900 
			 (1) Estimates were not calculated for these years.  Note:  Estimates have been rounded to the nearest 100.  Source:  Health Protection Agency.

Food: Hygiene

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to require local authorities to operate a national Scores on the Doors scheme for rating hygiene standards in food businesses.

Dawn Primarolo: The Food Standards Agency is establishing the national scheme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for rating hygiene standards in food businesses.
	It will not be mandatory for local authorities to adopt the national scheme. This would require new legislation and the Agency has no plans at the current time to introduce this.
	The Agency is, however, conscious that local authority support for the scheme is critical to its success and is committed to working with them on developing a robust and effective support package (including guidance, training and information technology assistance). The Agency will also be working with the Local Government Association, the Local Authorities Co-ordinators for Regulatory Services, and with the Local Better Regulation Office, to encourage local authorities to recognise the benefits to consumers of having a single national scheme and to adopt the new scheme in their area.

Health Services: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes there have been to the provision of medical services for  (a) pensioners,  (b) young people,  (c) families and  (d) expectant mothers in Coventry in the last 12 months.

Ann Keen: This information is not held centrally. It was for primary care trusts to commission services in line with local needs and the priorities set out in The Operating Framework for the NHS in England 2008-09. A copy of this document has already been placed in the Library.

Health Services: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what services are provided by his Department to partners of expectant mothers in Coventry.

Ann Keen: This information is not held centrally. It is for primary care trusts to commission services in line with local needs and the priorities set out in The Operating Framework for the NHS in England 2009-10, which includes material on children and maternity. A copy of this document has already been placed in the Library.

Health Services: Standards

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms local involvement networks are expected to use to co-ordinate their work with those responsible for discharging local authority health overview and scrutiny functions.

Ann Keen: The formal mechanism for local involvement networks (LINks) to interact with local authority overview and scrutiny committees (OSCs) is through the referral of relevant matters to the OSC. The OSC must acknowledge referrals from LINks that concern either health or social care matters within 20 working days and keep LINks informed about actions they might take, if any, with respect to those referrals.
	It is good practice for LINks and OSCs to build and maintain good working relationships and less formal ways of working together over and above the use of formal referrals. Guidance on how LINks and OSCs might work together has been produced and is available on the NHS Centre for Involvement website at:
	www.nhscentreforinvolvement.nhs.uk/index.cfm?Content=196.

Hospitals: Infections

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were screened for healthcare-acquired infections in  (a) Hemel Hempstead and  (b) Hertfordshire in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: This information is not held centrally. However, from 1 April this year the national health service has been screening all relevant elective admissions for meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and will be expanding this to include emergency admissions by 2011.
	It is not appropriate to screen for all health care associated infections, and screening for health care associated infections other than MRSA is a matter for local determination according to clinical appropriateness and risk.

Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to assist companies working on patient-centred technologies for the prevention of healthcare-associated infections.

Ann Keen: The healthcare associated infection (HCAI) Technology Innovation Programme provides support to emerging and established technologies, including patient-centred technologies.
	The Department has made product surgeries available to commercial and public sector organisations having an interest in HCAI technology. The surgeries provide innovators with the opportunity to discuss their product development programme and get advice on how best to get their technologies quickly through the system and into the national health service, focusing on the Rapid Review Panel (RRP).
	The RRP was set up in 2004 and provides a prompt assessment of new and novel equipment, materials, and other products or protocols that may be of value to the NHS in improving hospital infection control and reducing hospital associated infections.
	A number of technologies have a RRP recommendation 1. These include both hands-on patient care and general cleaning procedures. They range from technologies that help with the decontamination of large areas like wards and side rooms, to those which help prevent infection when taking blood or giving injections.
	The programme is currently piloting a project to support companies who have achieved a RRP recommendation 2. The innovators are able to access expert NHS advice concerning what further evidence needs to be generated to potentially improve the products RRP recommendation and, where appropriate, we will look to see if we might help them get the necessary evidence to show how they help reduce infection.
	Where practical, technologies with a RRP recommendation 1 are placed in the supply chain catalogue as soon as possible after gaining their recommendation to make them readily available to the NHS. Details are also added to the website:
	www.clean-safe-care.nhs.uk
	The technologies are also showcased in selected showcase hospitals so that NHS practitioners can visit the hospitals and see the products being used.

Liver Diseases: Health Services

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will prepare and publish a national liver disease strategy.

Ann Keen: The Government are talking action on a number of fronts to tackle the main causes of liver diseasealcohol misuse, viral hepatitis and obesity.
	Following on from High Quality Care For All, a copy of which has already been placed in he Library, the National Quality Board has been established to provide strategic oversight and leadership on quality across the national health service. As part of that role, the National Quality Board will provide advice to Ministers on clinical priorities, including the appropriateness of particular action for a particular clinical area or condition. This advice will be based on a systematic methodology which will allow decisions to be made about where work to improve quality is most needed. The work on liver disease will be considered within this context.

NHS: Death Rate

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 30 March 2009,  Official Report, column 900W, on NHS: death rate, how many alerts the Healthcare Commission has received since July 2008; which NHS organisation was the subject of each alert; and what the reason was for the alert in each case.

Ben Bradshaw: The Care Quality Commission (CQC), which took over from the Healthcare Commission on 1 April 2009, has informed us that since July 2008, the Healthcare Commission considered 94 alerts. The reasons for the alerts were because data received by the Healthcare Commission suggested that the rates of mortality in relation to a number of specific clinical areas were statistically higher than otherwise would have been expected. Statistical alerts relating to mortality rates do not necessarily equate to problems with clinical care. The alerts could be caused as a result of poor data quality, chance events, differences in the complexity of conditions treated or there could be evidence of poor quality care.
	Details of the alerts by patient group are contained in the following table:
	
		
			  Alerts by patient group (cases since July 2008) 
			  Patient group  Number 
			 Acute and unspecified renal failure 3 
			 Acute bronchitis 3 
			 Acute cerebrovascular disease 8 
			 Acute myocardial infarction 2 
			 CABG (complex, combined and repeat) 2 
			 Cardiac arrest and ventricular fibrillation 1 
			 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchiectasis 2 
			 Chronic renal failure 1 
			 Chronic ulcer of skin 1 
			 Complication of device, implant or graft 1 
			 Coronary atherosclerosis and other heart disease 9 
			 Deficiency and other anaemia 1 
			 Elective cases (various groups) 1 
			 Excision of lung 2 
			 Fluid and electrolyte disorders 2 
			 Fracture of neck of femur (hip) 1 
			 Head injury with brain injury 1 
			 Heart valve disorders 4 
			 Hip replacement 1 
			 Intestinal obstruction without hernia 3 
			 Intracranial injury 1 
			 Large intestinal disorders, aged below 70 years and without complications and comorbidities 1 
			 Large intestinal disorders, aged over 69 years or with complications or comorbidities 5 
			 Lobar, atypical or viral pneumonia without complications and comorbidities 1 
			 Minor skin procedures 1 
			 Multiple injury, aged below 70 years 1 
			 Non-infectious gastroenteritis 4 
			 Non-transient stroke or cerebrovascular accident, aged over 69 years or with complications or comorbidities 1 
			 Operations on jejunum 1 
			 Other circulatory disease 1 
			 Other liver diseases 1 
			 Other non-viral infections 1 
			 Other operations on heart 2 
			 Other psychoses 1 
			 Perinatal mortality 1 
			 Peripheral and visceral atherosclerosis 1 
			 Peritonitis and intestinal abscess 2 
			 Pleurisy, pneumothorax, pulmonary collapse 2 
			 Pulmonary heart disease 3 
			 Septicaemia (except in labour) 8 
			 Spondylosis, intervertebral disc disorders, other back problems 1 
			 Therapeutic endoscopic procedures on upper GI tract 1 
			 Urinary tract infections 4 
			 All patient groups 94 
		
	
	One of the CQC's first pieces of work is to review this programme and it will be publishing the action taken on these alerts as soon as this review has been completed.
	The CQC will undertake a rigorous review of each alert it receives, drawing together all relevant information, including, for example, patient reported experiences. Consideration will be given to possible data anomalies and variations which could be producing the alert, and advice will be taken from clinicians and other experts. Where necessary, information about the alert will be sought from the organisations concerned.

Orthopaedics: Finance

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether he plans further to revise the national tariff for specialist orthopaedic operations;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of effect of changes to the national tariff on the financial position of specialist orthopaedic centres.

Ben Bradshaw: There are no plans to revise the 2009-10 national tariff for specialised orthopaedic treatments.
	Analysis of the impact of the changes to the tariff, using historical activity data and national assumptions, was undertaken centrally at several stages of tariff development and calculation. With the release of the final tariff for 2009-10, organisations are able to undertake their own impact analysis using locally available up-to-date activity data.

Prescriptions: Fees and Charges

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the timetable is for ending prescription charges for people with long-term medical conditions; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Prime Minister announced last September that the Government will abolish prescription charges for patients with long-term conditions over the next few years. Following this announcement, the Government asked Professor Ian Gilmore, President of the Royal College of Physicians, to undertake a review of prescription charges to consider how this pledge could best be implemented. The review is seeking the views of the public, clinicians and patient representative bodies on how exemption for people with long-term conditions should be phased in and is due to report to departmental Ministers in the summer.

Tranquillisers

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 391-2W, on tranquillisers, what assessment he has made of the efficacy of his policy on the prescription of tranquillisers in limiting the number of medicines prescribed.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department has made no such assessment.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Charity Commission: Surveillance

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what use the Charity Commission has made of directed surveillance under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Charity Commission. I have asked the Commission to reply.
	 Letter from Andrew Hind, dated April 2009:
	As the Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, I have been asked to respond to your written Parliamentary Question on the Commission's use of its powers in connection with Directed Surveillance under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA).
	It may be helpful to set out the position in relation to this legislation. The Charity Commission has limited powers under RIPA. Under an Order made in 2003, we have powers in connection with Communications Data (CD). We also have powers in connection with Directed Surveillance (DS) and the use of Covert Human Intelligence Source (CHIS). We can use these powers for the purposes of preventing or detecting crime or disorder.
	In answer to your question, we have not made use of our powers in connection with DS nor have we used CHIS.
	However, we have used our powers in connection with CD under section 21 (4) (c) of RIPA eight times since 2004. In all cases the information obtained was used to progress our investigations.
	We only use these powers when absolutely necessary and in the most serious of cases. Their use is always authorised at a senior level within the Commission.
	You may have seen an article in  The Times of 17 April alleging that the Surveillance Commissioner had criticised the Charity Commission 'over misuse of RIPA'. I wrote to the Editor pointing out that this was incorrect. I am pleased to say that the newspaper published a correction on 21 April as follows:
	In a commentary on the reform of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (News, April 17), it was suggested incorrectly that Ofcom and the Charity Commission were criticised by the Surveillance Commissioner for the misuse of Ripa powers. We are happy to make clear that no such criticism has been made of either organisation.
	I hope this is helpful. A senior member of the Commission's Compliance team would be very happy to discuss this aspect of our work with you if that would be useful.

Civil Servants: Pay

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer to Lord Ouseley of 4 March 2009,  Official Report, House of Lords, column WA157, on Civil Service: salaries, which public bodies pay a salary of more than  (a) 100,000 and  (b) 200,000 to one or more individual civil servants.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated April 2009:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question, pursuant to the answer to Lord Ouseley of 4 March 2009, Official Report, House of Lords, column WA157, on Civil Service: salaries, which public bodies pay a salary more than (a) 100,000 and (b) 200,000 to one or more individual civil servants. (270211).
	The Office for National Statistics collects the annual salaries of civil servants from public bodies employing civil servants, as part of the Annual Civil Service Employment Survey (ACSES).
	The requested data are attached at Annex A.
	 Annex A
	 Civil Service departments and agencies paying one or more individual civil servants more than 100,000
	Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service
	Animal Health
	Army Base Repair Organisation
	Attorney-General's Office
	Border and Immigration Agency
	Cabinet Office
	Central Office of Information
	Central Science Laboratory
	Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
	Charity Commission
	Child Support Agency
	Criminal Records Bureau
	Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
	Crown Prosecution Service
	Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate
	Debt Management Office
	Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
	Department for Children, Schools and Families
	Department for Communities and Local Government
	Department for Culture, Media and Sport
	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
	Department for International Development
	Department for Transport
	Department for Work and Pensions
	Department of Health
	Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
	Driving Standards Agency
	Export Credit Guarantee Department
	Fire Service College
	Food Standards Agency
	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	Government Actuary's Department
	Health and Safety Executive
	Highways Agency
	HM Courts Service
	HM Land Registry
	HM Revenue and Customs
	HM Treasury
	Home Office
	Identity and Passport Service
	Jobcentre Plus
	Meat Hygiene Service
	Medical and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
	Meteorological Office
	Ministry of Defence
	Ministry of Justice
	National Archives
	National Healthcare Purchasing and Supplies Agency
	National Savings and Investments
	National School for Government
	Northern Ireland Office
	Office for National Statistics
	Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism
	Office for Standards in Education
	Office of Fair Trading
	Office of Gas and Electricity Market
	Office of Government Commerce
	Office of Rail Regulation
	Office of Water Services
	OGC Buying.solutions
	Ordnance Survey
	Parliamentary Counsel Office
	Pension Service
	Planning Inspectorate
	Postal Services Commission
	Public Guardianship Office
	Public Sector Prison Service
	Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office
	Royal Mint
	Rural Payments Agency
	Scotland Office
	Scottish Government
	Security and Intelligence Services
	Serious Fraud Office
	Transport Scotland
	Treasury Solicitor
	Tribunals Service
	UK Intellectual Property Office
	Vehicle and Operator Services Agency
	Welsh Assembly Government
	 Civil Service departments and agencies paying one or more individual civil servants more than 200,000
	Border and Immigration Agency
	Cabinet Office
	Department for Culture, Media and Sport
	Department for Work and Pensions
	Department of Health
	Export Credit Guarantee Department
	Ministry of Defence
	Office of Gas and Electricity Market
	Parliamentary Counsel Office
	Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office

Civil Servants: Pay

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer to Lord Ouseley of 4 March 2009,  Official Report,  House of Lords, column WA157, on Civil Service: salaries, how many individuals in  (a) executive agencies and  (b) non-departmental public bodies are paid more than (i) 100,000 and (ii) 200,000 per annum.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell:
	As National Statistician 1 have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question, pursuant to the Answer to Lord Ouseley of 4 March 2009, Official Report, House of Lords, column WA157, on Civil Service: salaries, how many individuals in (a) executive agencies and (b) non-departmental public bodies are paid more than (i) 100,000 and (ii) 200,000 per annum. (270212).
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) collects the annual salaries of civil servants as part of the Annual Civil Service Employment Survey (ACSES).
	The requested data are attached at Annex A.
	
		
			  Number of individual civil servants paid more than (a) 100,000 and (b) 200,000 by non-departmental public bodies (NDPB) and executive agencies, Permanent employees, 31 March 2008 
			  Headcount 
			   Greater than 100,000  Greater than 200,000 
			 Non-departmental public bodies 10 0 
			 Executive agencies 110 (1) 
			 (1)( )Less than five.   Note:  Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10.   Source:  (Unpublished) Annual Civil Service Employment Survey.

Death: Bacterial Diseases

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many times  (a) acinetobacter,  (b) pseudomonas and  (c) burkholderia has been mentioned on death certificates in England in each year since 1997.

Ann Keen: I have been asked to reply.
	These data are not collected.

Government Departments: Communication

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much  (a) each Government department and  (b) central Government has spent on communications in each (i) year since 2004 and (ii) month since January 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: This information is not collected centrally. Each Government Department, agency and NDPB is responsible for setting its own communications priorities and outputs, and each Secretary of State is responsible to Parliament.

Government Departments: Communication

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what  (a) each Government department and  (b) central Government planned communications expenditure is over the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: This information is not collected centrally. Each Government Department is responsible for setting its own communications priorities and outputs, and the Secretary of State is responsible to Parliament.

Government Departments: Communication

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many civil servants were employed by  (a) each Government department and  (b) central Government on government communications in each (i) year since 2004 and (ii) month since January 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The number of communications staff employed by each Government Department is not collected centrally, as we explained in our evidence to the House of Lords Communications Committee.

Government Departments: Consultants

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much was spent on private sector management by Government departments in the last year for which figures are available.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	Information on central Government private sector management consultancy spend is not held centrally. However, total spend on professional consultancy services by the 16 largest spending central Government Departments for 2007-08, the most recent year available, has been published by the Office of Government Commerce. Details can be found using the following link:
	http://www.ogc.gov.uk/professional_services_consultancy _value_programme.asp

Government Departments: Contracts

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the Cabinet Office's policy is on contracts being signed by Government departments in the 12 months before the last possible date for a general election.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government will continue to let contracts in accordance with the normal procedures set out in the procurement policy and guidance available on the Office of Government Commerce website.

Local Government: Referendums

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 30 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1210W, on local government: referendums, whether guidance has been issued by the Cabinet Office to public authorities on the use of public funds by third party groups to campaign to influence a referendum or election.

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
	While there are statutory restrictions on election expenditure by or on behalf of a candidate at a local election, and on expenditure incurred by or on behalf of an individual or body in connection with the conduct or management of any campaign conducted with a view to promoting or procuring a particular outcome in a referendum held under part 2 of the Local Government Act 2000, we have not issued guidance to local authorities on the provision of public funding to groups which campaign in local referendums or elections.
	The Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity, which all local authorities must have regard to, makes clear that the principles set out in the publicity code, including those pertaining to elections, referendums and petitions should be taken into account by local authorities in decisions on assistance to others to issue publicity.

Pay

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the average percentage yearly change in earnings in  (a) the Civil Service,  (b) local government,  (c) the public sector and  (d) the private sector was in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated April 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the average percentage yearly change in earnings in (a) the Civil Service, (b) local government, (c) the public sector and (d) the private sector was in the most recent period for which figures are available. (269900)
	The only source that has information on all of the sectors you have requested is the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) and this has been used to allow for a consistent comparison. Earnings estimates are provided for all employees on adult rates of pay whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence. The ASHE, carried out in April each year, is based on a sample of all employees who are members of pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) schemes.
	I attach a table showing the annual percentage change in median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in (a) the Civil Service, (b) local government, (c) the public sector and (d) the private sector, for 2008, the most recent year for which figures are available.
	
		
			  Annual percentage cha nge in median gross weekly pay full-time employee jobs( 1)  in the United Kingdom for 2008 
			   Annual percentage change 
			 Civil Service 4.4 
			 Local Government 3.6 
			 Public sector 4.3 
			 Private sector 4.6 
			 (1) Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence.  Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics.

Population

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the net international migration by non-British citizens was in respect of  (a) England,  (b) Scotland,  (c) Wales and  (d) Northern Ireland in each year since 1991.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 23 April 2009
	 The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated April 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to respond to your question concerning what the net international migration by non-British citizens was for (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland in each year since 1991. (270699)
	Official estimates of net international migration by non-British citizens for the constituent countries of the UK in each year since 1991 are given in Table 1 attached. The data are consistent with published figures.
	
		
			  Table 1: Net international migration to the countries of the UK by non-British citizens, 1991 to 2007countries of the United Kingdom 
			  Thousand 
			   England  Wales  Scotland  Northern Ireland 
			 1991 39 1 -1 0 
			 1992 13 1 0 0 
			 1993 24 1 1 0 
			 1994 42 3 0 0 
			 1995 69 3 0 0 
			 1996 80 2 2 -1 
			 1997 75 7 3 0 
			 1998 113 4 7 -1 
			 1999 101 1 8 0 
			 2000 105 0 16 4 
			 2001 138 3 4 1 
			 2002 143 4 -2 4 
			 2003 175 0 9 0 
			 2004 286 4 15 3 
			 2005 233 6 8 4 
			 2006 246 8 19 5 
			 2007 267 8 16 6 
			  Source: International Passenger Survey

Public Sector: Job Creation

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proportion of jobs created have been in the public sector in each year since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated April 2009:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what proportion of jobs have been in the public sector in each year since 1997. (269899).
	Statistics on jobs in the public sector are not available. However we can provide the change in the number of employees (the closest available measure) for both the public and private sectors alongside total employment since 1997. These figures will therefore exclude any vacancies. The data are attached at Annex A.
	Estimates of employment for the whole economy are sourced from the Labour Force Survey (published monthly), and for the public sector from the quarterly Public Sector Employment surveys. Private sector employment estimates arc derived as the difference between Labour Force Survey and public sector employment totals. It is important to acknowledge, as with any sample survey, estimates from the Labour Force Survey are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Annex A: Public and private sector employment 
			  United Kingdom, thousand, seasonally adjusted 
			   Public sector( 1,)( )( 2,)( )( 3,)( )( 4)  Private sector( 4,)( )( 5)  Total employment( 6,)( )( 7) 
			  All in employment  Thousand  Percentage  Thousand  Percentage  Thousand 
			 1997 5,180 19.5 21,310 80.5 26,490 
			 1998 5,170 19.3 21,610 80.7 26,770 
			 1999 5,190 19.1 21,930 80.9 27,120 
			 2000 5,270 19.1 22,2S0 80.9 27,530 
			 2001 5,360 19.4 22,340 80.6 27,700 
			 2002 5,470 19.6 22,420 80.4 27,890 
			 2003 5,630 20.0 22,570 80.0 28,200 
			 2004 5,750 20.2 22,680 79.8 28,420 
			 2005 5,850 20.3 22,940 79.7 28,780 
			 2006 5,810 20.0 23,220 80.0 29,030 
			 2007 5,770 19.7 23,430 80.3 29,200 
			 2008 5,750 19.5 23,740 80.5 29,490 
			 (1) Estimates derived from public sector organisations. (2) Estimates for Northern Ireland included in the UK total are sourced from the Quarterly Employment Survey and are based on jobs rather than employees. (3) Estimates for December 2007 onwards are based partly on projections. (4) Northern Rock plc was reclassified for statistical purposes from the private to the public sector on 9 October 2007. (5) Estimated as the difference between LFS total employment and the data from public sector organisations. (6) LFS data for September refers to August-October and December refers to November-January. (7) Labour Force Survey employment; All aged 16 and over; seasonally adjusted.  Note: Details of the sampling variability of national Labour Force Survey estimates are included each month in the Labour Market Statistics First Release, available on www.statistics.gov.uk  Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS) Labour Force Survey and returns from public sector organisations

Public Sector: Manpower

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2009,  Official Report, column 409W, on public sector: manpower, whether the Civil Service employee headcount in 1997 included  (a) self-employed workers,  (b) contract workers and  (c) agency temporary workers.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated April 2009:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2009, Official Report, column 409W, on public sector: manpower, whether the Civil Service employee headcount in 1997 included (a) self-employed workers, (b) contract workers and (c) agency temporary workers. (270149)
	I can confirm that the Civil Service employee headcount in 1997 excluded self-employed workers, contract workers and agency temporary workers.

Public Sector: Manpower

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 409-12W, on public sector: manpower, whether the methodology that excludes casual and annualised hour contracts from the definition of public sector workers was used in the calculation of the Civil Service employee headcount in 1997.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated April 2009:
	As National Statistician 1 have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question, pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2009, Official Report, columns 409-12W, on public sector: manpower, if the methodology that excludes casual and annualised hour contracts from the definition of public sector workers was used in the calculation of the civil service employee headcount in 1997.
	I can confirm that the methodology that excludes casual and annualised hour contracts from the definition of public sector workers was used in the calculation of the civil service employee headcount in 1997.

Public Sector: Manpower

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 404-9W, on public sector: manpower, for what reasons a list of the public sector bodies which were classified as central government for the purpose of the Civil Service employee headcount in 1997 is not available.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated April 2009:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question, pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2009, Official Report, columns 404-9W, on public sector: manpower, for what reasons a list of the public sector bodies which were classified as central government but not for the purpose of the Civil Service employee headcount in 1997 is not available. (270151).
	In 2005, Office for National Statistics (ONS) in collaboration with other departments and the devolved administrations, implemented major improvements to public sector employment estimates. Although records for earlier periods were passed to ONS, at the time of the aforementioned answer of 23 February 2009, information on public sector bodies which were classified as central government but not for the purpose of the Civil Service employee headcount in 1997 could not be found.
	Further effort to find the information has brought it to light. The requested information is attached at Annex A.
	 Annex APublic Sector Bodies classified as Central Government (for the purpose of employee headcount) but not included within Civil Service
	 1997
	HM Forces
	National Health ServiceScotland
	National Health ServiceWales
	National Health ServiceEngland
	PoliceEngland and Wales
	Central GovernmentNorthern Ireland
	Probation Service England and Wales
	Other Central Government:
	Alcohol Education and Research Council
	Arts Council England
	Bank of England
	Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
	British Board of Agreement
	British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA)
	British Film Institute
	British Museum
	Broadcasting Standards Commission (OFCOM)
	Castle Vale Housing Action Trust
	Central Rail Users Consultative Committee
	Churches Conservation Trust
	Coal Authority
	Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment
	Commission for Local Administration in England
	Commission for Local Administration in Wales
	Commission for New Towns
	Commission for Racial Equality
	Community Development Foundation (CDF)
	Community Learning Scotland
	Competition Commission
	Construction Industry Training Board
	Consumer Council for Postal Services
	Council for Central Laboratory of Research Councils
	Countryside Agency
	Countryside Council for Wales
	Criminal Cases Review Commission
	Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel
	Deer Commission
	Diplomatic Service
	East Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association
	Economic and Social Research Council
	Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
	Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
	English Heritage
	English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting
	English Nature
	English Tourism Council
	Environment Agency
	Equal Opportunities Commission
	Food From Britain
	Football Licensing Authority
	Funding Agency for Schools
	Gaming Board for Britain
	Gas and Electricity Consumer Council
	Geffrye Museum Trust Limited
	General Social Care Council
	Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)
	Higher Education Funding Council for Wales
	Highland RFC Association
	Home-Grown Cereals Authority
	Horserace Betting Levy Board
	Horticultural Development Council
	House of Commons (Staff)
	Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
	Imperial War Museum
	Independent Housing Ombudsman
	Independent Television Commission (OFCOM)
	Investors In People UK (IIP UK)
	Joint Nature Conservation Committee
	Learning and Skills Council
	Legal Services Commission
	Liverpool Housing Action Trust
	Local Government Boundary Commission For Scotland
	Macaulay Land Use Research Institute
	Meat and Livestock Commission
	Medical Research Council
	National Army Museum
	National Audit Office
	National Biological Standards Board
	National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting In Scotland
	National Consumer Council
	National Council for Education Technology
	National Forest Company
	National Galleries of Scotland
	National Gallery
	National Heritage Memorial Fund
	National Library of Scotland
	National Library of Wales
	National Maritime Museum
	National Museum of Science and Industry
	National Museums and Galleries of Wales
	National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside
	National Museums of Scotland
	National Portrait Gallery
	National Radiological Protection Board
	NMSI Trading Ltd
	North Hull Housing Action Trust
	Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority (OPRA)
	Office of the Information Commissioner
	Parole Board
	Parole Board for England and Wales
	Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council
	Police Complaints Authority
	Public Lending Right and Public Lending Right Advisory Committee
	Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
	Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales
	Radio Authority (OFCOM)
	RBG Kew Enterprises Ltd
	Reserve Forces and Cadet Association for East Anglia
	Reserve Forces and Cadet Association for the North West of England and Isle Of Man
	Reserve Forces and Cadets Association for Wales
	Reserve Forces and Cadets Association for Yorkshire and the Humber
	Reserve Forces and Cadets Association for Greater London
	Rowett Research Institute
	Royal Air Force Museum
	Royal Armouries Museum
	Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
	Royal Commission on Ancient and Historic Monuments in Wales
	Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland
	Royal Households
	Royal Marines Museum
	Royal Naval Museum
	Royal Naval Submarine Museum
	Rural Development Commission
	Scottish Children's Reporter
	Scottish Council for Education Technology
	Scottish Crop Research Institute
	Scottish Enterprise
	Scottish Environment Protection Agency
	Scottish Executive
	Scottish Funding Councils
	Scottish Homes Residuary Body
	Scottish Law Commission
	Scottish Legal Aid Board
	Scottish Natural Heritage
	Scottish Qualifications Authority
	Sea Fish Industry Authority
	Sitpro Limited
	South East Reserve Forces and Cadets Association
	sportscotland
	Stonebridge Housing Action Trust
	Student Loans Company Limited
	Tai Cymru
	Tate Gallery
	Teacher Training Agency (TTA)
	The Arts Council of Wales Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru
	The Basic Skills Agency
	The British Library
	The Design Council
	The English Sports Council
	The Forestry Commission Including Forest Enterprise and Forest Research
	The Hannah Research Institute
	The Horniman Public Museum and Public Park Trust
	The Housing Corporation
	The Millennium Commission
	The Museums Libraries and Archives Council
	The National Archives
	The Natural Environment Research Council
	The Natural History Museum (including The Natural History Museum Trading Co Ltd)
	The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
	The Scottish Arts Council
	The Sports Council for Wales
	The United Kingdom Sports Council
	The Wallace Collection
	The Wessex Reserve Forces and Cadets Association
	The Westminster Foundation for Democracy
	Tower Hamlets Housing Action Trust
	Traffic Director for London
	United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
	V and A Enterprises Ltd
	Valuation Tribunals
	Victoria and Albert Museum
	VisitBritain
	VisitScotland
	Wales Tourist Board
	Waltham Forest Housing Action Trust
	Welsh Language Board
	Welsh National Board for Nursing, Midwifery And Health Visiting
	West Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association
	Wine Standards Board

Small Businesses: Staffordshire

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people have been employed in the small business sector in  (a) Tamworth constituency and  (b) Staffordshire in each year since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated April 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question concerning how many people have been employed in the small business sector in (a) Tamworth constituency and (b) Staffordshire in each year since 1997.
	Table 1 shows the number of employees within the size-band 0-49 employees from 1998 to 2007. Figures for 1997 are not available.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of employees in the employee size-band 0-49 
			  Period  Tamworth constituency  Staffordshire 
			 1998 19,100 151,800 
			 1999 17,900 146,000 
			 2000 18,900 155,500 
			 2001 18,400 152,900 
			 2002 19,400 158,600 
			 2003 19,500 157,100 
			 2004 19,500 158,100 
			 2005 19,400 156,800 
			 2006 19,400 157,300 
			 2007 19,400 157,000 
			  Note: Estimates for 2005 and earlier periods are on a different basis to those from 2006 onwards. A preliminary assessment of changes in survey methodology suggests that the estimated total number of employees (for GB at the whole economy level) was reduced by around 1 per cent. Direct comparisons of employee estimates should therefore be treated with caution.  Source: Annual Business Inquiry.

Taxation: Income

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with reference to the answer of 11 June 2008,  Official Report, columns 308-9W, on taxation: income, if he will publish an updated copy of table 14A of the Effects of Taxes and Benefits on Household Income, broken down by the age of the household's reference person in five year bands from the ages of 20 to 80 years rather than by household income deciles, for the latest year for which figures are available.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated April 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking with reference to the Answer of 11 June 2008, Official Report, columns 308-9W, on taxation: income, if he will place in the Library an updated copy of table 14A of the Effects of Taxes and Benefits on Household Income, broken down by the age of the households reference person in five year bands from the ages of 20 to 80 years rather than by household income deciles, for the latest year for which figures are available. (270208)
	The table requested is provided here for the year 2006/07, the latest period for which figures are available. This table will also be provided to the House of Commons Library.
	Average incomes, taxes and benefits have been presented with households grouped in five year bands according to age of the household reference person (HRP). To ensure that all households are classified, an age group for households where the HRP is aged 80 or over has been included. Households where the HRP is under 20 (of which there are relatively few) are classified in the same group as those where the HRP is aged 20 to 24.
	The information in this response is based on the Expenditure and Food Survey, which has a sample size of approximately 6,400 households. When breaking down this sample into age bands the sub-samples become quite small. The estimates for all of the age groups are based on sub-samples of around 370-710 households. With such small sample sizes, caution should be exercised when drawing any conclusions from these estimates. As an indication of sampling variability, the 95 per cent confidence interval for average gross household income for all households is approximately �2.8 per cent. When disaggregating the information to smaller sub-groups, such as household age groups, the sampling variability will be greater due to a smaller sample size.
	
		
			  Average household incomes, taxes and benefits by age of household reference person, 2006-07 
			   Household reference person age groups 
			   25  25-29  30-34  35-39  40-44  45-49  50-54  55-59  60-64  65-69  70-74  75-79  79  All house-holds 
			  Average per household  ( per year)   
			 sample number in each band 181 403 477 625 708 647 549 574 543 446 468 366 401 6,388 
			  Number of households in the population (thousand) 872 1,620 1,903 2,502 2,788 2,474 2,177 2,232 1,975 1,547 1,652 1,262 1,832 24,836 
			
			  Original income   
			 Wages and salaries 17,713 28,822 33,988 34,435 31,895 36,387 34,005 27,071 17,298 3,794 1,670 1,083 372 23,000 
			 Imputed income from benefits in kind 165 246 540 458 561 440 549 435 204 55 8 9 17 325 
			 Self-employment income 840 2,611 3,907 4,300 3,880 5,329 4,447 3,632 3,403 1,405 475 130 334 3,036 
			 Occupational pensions, annuities  5 77 145 171 453 1,038 2,599 6,219 7,337 6,948 5,571 4,405 2,431 
			 Investment income 134 161 420 813 958 616 1,178 1,581 1,784 1,636 2181 1,495 1,083 1,088 
			 Other income 619 481 148 297 432 181 75 90 56 37 59 78 120 199 
			 Total 19,470 32,327 39,080 40,448 37,897 43,406 41,292 35,409 28,964 14,263 11,342 8,366 6,331 30,080 
			
			  Direct benefits in cash   
			  Contributory   
			 Retirement pension  24 67 79 104 159 113 241 2,659 7,291 7,379 7,126 6,165 2,047 
			 Jobseeker's allowance (Contribution based) 12 12  29 10 21 35 34 9 5  21 5 16 
			 Incapacity benefit 21 80 131 165 231 233 480 478 472 107 85 54 61 224 
			 Widows' benefits   21 18 20 28 40 47 10   16  18 
			 Statutory Maternity Pay/Allowance 64 110 254 80 84 23 23 27  53 
			
			  Non-contributory   
			 Income support and pension credit 464 432 376 385 339 404 410 276 576 332 298 396 573 400 
			 Child benefit 302 492 694 933 905 603 338 106 40 18 7 3 4 396 
			 Housing benefit 688 672 432 510 323 353 467 366 417 440 442 423 530 448 
			 Jobseeker's allowance (Income based) 85 46 46 58 38 47 63 48   8 12 35 38 
			 Invalid care allowance  17 41 28 49 79 25 61 34 91 16 32 41 42 
			 Attendance allowance 2 5  29 28 30 61 226 262 42 
			 Disability living allowance 42 42 182 121 204 342 326 380 503 531 351 254 112 268 
			 War pensions/War widows' pensions   3 11  9 34 55 6 9 47 48 134 27 
			 Severe disablement allowance  1 33 29 20 33 48 57 53 26 40 68 55 36 
			 Industrial injury disablement benefit2 15 19 17 28 29 25 22 10 26 15 
			 Student support 379 211 61 72 72 93 73 56 11  5   69 
			 Government training schemes 4  4 6 8 14 15 7 0  0 0  5 
			 Tax credits(1) 586 695 627 735 559 373 192 44 15 22311 
			 Other non-contributory benefits(2) 48 34 32 24 28 31 146 32 178 230 249 253 487 125 
			
			 Total cash benefits 2,694 2,868 3,004 3,286 3,012 2,872 2,845 2,371 5,041 9,158 9,011 8,940 8,488 4,580 
			
			 Gross income 22,164 35,194 42,084 43,734 40,909 46,278 44,137 37,780 34,005 23,421 20,353 17,305 14,819 34,661 
			
			  Direct taxes and Employees' NIC   
			 Income tax 2,423 4,920 6,551 6,976 6,365 7,382 6,680 5,573 4,942 2,553 1,970 1,110 908 4,954 
			  Less: Tax credits( 3) 111 297 270 324 318 197 112 46 13 4 3 4 9 148 
			 Employees' NI contributions 1,222 2,075 2,350 2,215 2,124 2,225 2,332 1,843 1,109 251 102 79 25 1,528 
			 Council tax and Northern Ireland rates(4) 783 893 1,034 1,081 1,129 1,138 1,144 1,171 1,193 1,148 1,132 1,097 1,035 1,093 
			  Less: Council tax benefit/Rates rebates 176 109 97 107 77 92 124 108 134 180 187 216 289 137 
			 Total 4,141 7,481 9,569 9,841 9,223 10,456 9,919 8,433 7,097 3,768 3,014 2,067 1,670 7,290 
			
			 Disposable income 18,024 27,713 32,516 33,893 31,685 35,822 34,218 29,347 26,908 19,653 17,339 15,238 13,149 27,370 
			
			 Equivalised disposable income 17,931 27,706 31,953 29,475 26,853 28,972 28,275 28,594 26,814 22,165 19,840 18,101 17,286 25,831 
			
			  Indirect taxes   
			  Taxes on final goods and services   
			 VAT 1,577 2,084 2,294 2,441 2,638 2,643 2,505 2,266 2,255 1,656 1,559 1,201 831 2,104 
			 Duty on tobacco 488 355 417 329 374 314 334 462 185 261 201 121 82 306 
			 Duty on beer and cider 152 148 138 132 148 160 155 140 120 79 66 34 22 120 
			 Duty on wines and spirits 223 155 129 145 161 168 179 183 158 122 113 100 77 148 
			 Duty on hydrocarbon oils 408 446 524 551 563 632 653 513 447 367 280 171 110 463 
			 Vehicle excise duty 75 107 138 158 157 177 181 156 164 130 118 82 54 138 
			 Television licences 114 124 130 125 141 126 129 126 125 124 118 4 0 111 
			 Stamp duty on house purchase 68 207 321 188 245 123 119 154 171 156 71 67 54 159 
			 Customs duties 27 30 31 33 35 36 35 30 30 23 21 17 14 29 
			 Betting taxes 7 24 25 31 33 39 40 49 54 44 36 40 38 36 
			 Insurance premium tax 24 40 45 50 54 57 59 50 53 42 45 37 24 47 
			 Air passenger duty 7 37 16 25 46 44 28 29 44 43 32 22 5 31 
			 Camelot National Lottery Fund 9 26 30 43 58 60 68 82 71 62 63 52 33 53 
			 Other 19 5 24 14 23 12 24 33 16 14 37 6 3 18 
			
			  Intermediate taxes   
			 Commercial and industrial rates 250 280 288 306 326 332 321 279 276 209 195 156 127 268 
			 Employers' NI contributions 441 493 508 540 574 586 566 491 486 369 344 276 223 472 
			 Duty on hydrocarbon oils 151 168 174 184 196 200 193 168 166 126 118 94 76 162 
			 Vehicle excise duty 13 14 14 15 16 17 16 14 14 11 10 8 6 13 
			 Other 254 284 293 311 330 337 326 283 280 212 198 159 128 272 
			
			 Total indirect taxes 4,305 5,025 5,538 5,620 6,119 6,062 5,932 5,510 5,113 4,050 3,624 2,646 1,907 4,950 
			
			 Post-tax income 13,718 22,688 26,978 28,273 25,567 29,760 28,286 23,837 2,1795 15,603 13,715 12,593 11,242 22,420 
			
			  Benefits in kind   
			 Education 4,339 1,853 2,241 3,895 4,651 3,705 2,348 708 386 97 77 13 17 2,042 
			 National health service 2,499 2,504 3,000 2,859 2,813 2,732 2,727 2,398 2,791 3,460 4,070 6,084 8,578 3,462 
			 Housing subsidy 42 14 13 14 14 13 20 20 19 15 10 20 16 17 
			 Rail travel subsidy 54 55 48 54 45 46 39 36 32 12 9 6 6 36 
			 Bus travel subsidy 56 56 41 39 37 61 60 49 98 120 131 125 117 72 
			 School meals and welfare milk 48 62 44 55 34 36 17 4 5 2  0  24 
			 Total 7,038 4,544 5,386 6,916 7,595 6,593 5,211 3,214 3,331 3,707 4,298 6,248 8,735 5,651 
			
			 Final income 20,756 27,233 32,364 35,188 33,162 36,353 33,496 27,051 25,127 19,310 18,013 18,841 19,977 28,071 
			 (1) Child tax credit and working tax credit. (2) Includes age-related payments. (3) Including tax relief at source on life assurance premiums.  Source: Office for National Statistics

v: Finance

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much funding the Cabinet Office has provided for the charity v to date.

Kevin Brennan: v were allocated and spent 25.643 million in 2006-07, 47.175 million in 2007-08. Figures for 2008-09 will be available in the Cabinet Office Annual Report 2008-09 which will be published before summer recess.

Water Charges: Consumers

Tim Farron: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will estimate the number of households which spent more than 3 per cent. of their disposable income on water bills in each year since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 23 April 2009
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will estimate the number of households which spent more than three per cent of their disposable income on water bills in each year since 1997. (270446)
	The table below shows the number of UK households that spent more than three per cent of their disposable income on water bills in each of the years from 2000/01 to 2006/07. These estimates are based on data collected through the Expenditure and Food Survey, and its predecessor the Family Expenditure Survey, which is a sample survey covering approximately 7,000 households in the UK. Comparable figures prior to 2000/01 are not available.
	These estimates, as with any involving sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Households with water bills greater than 3 per cent. of disposable income( 1,2,3,4 ) United Kingdom 
			   Number of households ( m illion) 
			 2000-01 3.1 
			 2001-02 3.7 
			 2002-03 2.5 
			 2003-04 2.8 
			 2004-05 2.4 
			 2005-06 3.0 
			 2006-07 3.2 
			  Notes:(1)  Figures for 2000-01 are based on the Family Expenditure Survey (FES).  (2) Figures from 2001-02 and onwards are based on the Expenditure and Food Survey (EFS).  (3) Data taken from the FES include water and sewerage charges, whereas data from the EFS also contain water charges of a second home.  (4) Disposable income is all income from: wages, self-employment income, occupational pensions, investment income, imputed income from benefits in kind, and state benefits after the deduction of income tax, employees' national insurance contributions and council tax.   Source:  Office for National Statistics.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Community Infrastructure Levy

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what her Department's timetable is for  (a) further consultation on the community infrastructure levy and  (b) the full commencement of the levy;
	(2)  what assessment has been made of the effect of the community infrastructure levy on levels of development  (a) during and  (b) outside a period of recession;
	(3)  what recent discussions there have been between her Department and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on the community infrastructure levy.

Iain Wright: As the Government announced in the Budget, the community infrastructure levy (CIL) will be introduced on 6 April 2010. A full 12-week consultation will be held in advance of final regulations being made.
	CIL is a voluntary instrument, so it will be for local authorities to decide whether the circumstances in their area make the introduction of CIL appropriate and at what level to set the charge. CIL charges will need to reflect local economic circumstances and be subject to consultation with both developers and communities, and testing by an independent examiner so as to ensure that charges do not put development at risk.
	An initial impact assessment was published when the Planning Act received Royal Assent last November and will be updated as CIL regulations are consulted upon and made.
	Communities and Local Government works closely with other Government Departments in developing CIL.

Community Relations

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2009,  Official Report, column 477W, on community relations: finance, what national projects aimed at preventing violent extremism are under way.

Sadiq Khan: National projects aimed at preventing violent extremism fall into three broad areas of work as follows:
	Supporting Faith Capacity and Leadership;
	Community Capacity and Leadership;
	Local Leadership and delivery;
	Specific projects underway are listed as follows:
	 Specific projects
	Contextualising Islam in Britain;
	Islam and Citizenship Education (this is CLG's contribution. DCSF have also contributed jointly); Radical Middle Way;
	Charity Commission's Faith and Social Cohesion Unit;
	Piloting of the minimum standards for Muslim chaplains engaged by public institutions;
	Faith Community Development Qualification for faith leaders;
	Improvement and Development Agency (for Local Authorities);
	Creative Partnerships to promote positive alternative activities for young people.
	In addition, research and communications work also support the workstreams and projects listed above. The Community Leadership Fund also funds specific projects on preventing violent extremism.
	For further detail I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 23 April 2009,  Official Report, columns 872-78W.

Community Relations

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2009,  Official Report, column 477W, on community relations: finance, how many national Prevent-related projects were delivered by subcontractors; and how the performance of those subcontractors was monitored.

Sadiq Khan: One national Prevent-related project is part delivered through a sub-contracting arrangement. Three national Prevent-related projects have sub-contracted the evaluation of their delivery. It is the responsibility of the contractor to monitor the sub-contractor.
	For information regarding the Community Leadership Fund I refer the hon. Member to the answer I have given him today to PQ 270568 and for information on the Young Muslims Advisory Group I refer him to the answer I have given him to PQ 270416.

Community Relations

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent progress has been made by the locally led and managed demonstration projects to test and capture learning on a mixed communities approach, referred to on page 37 of her Department's Annual Report 2008; and if she will make a statement.

Sadiq Khan: CLG published the first phase of the evaluation of Mixed Communities demonstration projects report on 26 March 2009 and is planning to publish the final report in summer 2009. The report can be found at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/evaluationmixedcommunities
	Responsibility for support of the demonstration projects was transferred to the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) on December 1 2008. Currently, the HCA is exploring how future support to the demonstration projects can be provided.

Community Relations

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2009,  Official Report, column 477, on community relations, if she will publish  (a) a breakdown by project of the 8.5 million spent on Prevent-related projects in the financial year 2008-09 and  (b) a breakdown by year of funding allocated by the Community Leadership Fund.

Sadiq Khan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 23 April 2009,  Official Report, columns 872-78W.

Community Relations: Islam

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 12 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 234-6W, on community relations: Islam, how many of the organisations which receive funding from the Preventing Violent Extremism Community Leadership Fund are using subcontractors to deliver projects; and what mechanisms are in place to monitor the performance of such subcontractors.

Sadiq Khan: 21 organisations receiving funding from the Preventing Violent Extremism Community Leadership Fund are using subcontractors to deliver elements of their projects. The grant recipients are responsible for monitoring the performance of subcontractors and have their own mechanisms in place for doing so. As part of their funding agreement with us, grant recipients are obliged to report on the progress of their projects on a six monthly basis.

Council Housing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 30 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 976-7W, on local government finance, when she expects her Department to conclude its consultation on changes to housing finance rules which would allow local authorities to keep the full income and capital returns on investments in new council housing; and how many responses have been received to date.

Iain Wright: The consultation on excluding new council housing from housing revenue account subsidy and pooling closed on 17 April 2009. We have received 98 written responses. These will be considered and taken into account before decisions are made on how to implement the proposals.

Departmental Air Conditioning

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much has been spent by her Department on carrying out inspections of air conditioning systems within departmental buildings in accordance with the Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007.

Sadiq Khan: Inspections of air conditioning systems, in accordance with the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, have cost Communities and Local Government 3,744 since January 2009.

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many officials in her Department are suspended; how many are suspended on full pay; for how long each has been suspended; and what the reasons are for each such suspension.

Sadiq Khan: CLG do not currently have any members of staff who are currently suspended.

Departmental Finance

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on how many occasions the approval of her Department has been sought for spending by one of its non-departmental public bodies in excess of 10 million in the last five years; how many such projects also required approval from the Treasury; and which projects were concerned.

Sadiq Khan: Over the last five years, the approval of this Department has been sought for spending by its non-departmental public bodies in excess of 10 million on 116 occasions; 56 of these projects also required approval from the Treasury. A list of the projects is tabled as follows.
	
		
			  NDPBs cases to CPRG/Treasury 2004-09 
			   Approval sought from Treasury 
			 34 Marshgate Lane, London  
			 Abacus Park 'Innogy' Yes 
			 Advanced Seasons Innovation Project  
			 Agenda for Change  
			 Ailsa Street, E14 Yes 
			 Ancoats Yes 
			 Ashford Junction Yes 
			 Avenue Coking Works (x2) Yes 
			 Barking Town Centre  
			 Beckton Gas Works Yes 
			 Bickershaw Colliery  
			 Bickershaw North  
			 Bilston Urban Village  
			 Blackhorse Road  
			 Blue Triangle site  
			 Bow Industrial Park Yes 
			 Brownfield Joint Initiative, Northampton  
			 Canning Town Centre Yes 
			 Central Milton Keynes Yes 
			 Chatsworth Gardens, Morecombe  
			 Chatterley Whitfield  
			 Childcare Affordability Yes 
			 Combe Down Yes 
			 Connaught Barracks, Dover  
			 Corby Parkland Gateway  
			 Daresbury Science Park Yes 
			 Design Centre for the North  
			 Digital Media Programme  
			 Dowry Transfers to LRT Yes 
			 E Campus, Sheffield  
			 Epsom Cluster, Epsom Yes 
			 Essex University, Southend  
			 Fair Mile Hospital Yes 
			 Fenwick Eccles  
			 Fruit Market, Hull  
			 Fryerns and Craylands Yes 
			 Fryston and Wheldale, Castleford  
			 Gloscat Campus, Gloucester  
			 Golden House, Waterden Road, London  
			 Graylingwell Hospital, Chichester Yes 
			 Greenwich Hospital  
			 Gyosei School  
			 Harlow Gateway (x2) Yes 
			 Hastings MC  
			 Hattersley Yes 
			 Havelock Road, Hastings  
			 Heart of Slough, Berkshire  
			 Hesley Wood Tip, Sheffield  
			 HMS Daedalus site, Lee on Solent  
			 Holbeck Urban Village, Leeds  
			 Holmeside Triangle, Sunderland  
			 Kidbrooke, Greenwich Yes 
			 Kings Waterfront, Liverpool Yes 
			 Kings Waterfront, Liverpool  
			 Leybourne Grange Hospital Yes 
			 Lime Street, Liverpool  
			 Longbridge Yes 
			 LRT Coalfield Dowries  
			 Luton Innovation Centre  
			 Mann Island, Leicester Yes 
			 Meden Valley Yes 
			 Media City, Salford Yes 
			 Middlehaven, Tees Valley Yes 
			 Milford Hospital, Surrey Yes 
			 Millbay Docks, Plymouth  
			 Milton Keynes Prospectus Yes 
			 NCP Dowry Transfers  
			 New Retail Quarter, Sheffield Yes 
			 Northampton Joint Initiative Yes 
			 Northfleet  
			 Oakgrove MC Yes 
			 Oakington Barracks, Cambs Yes 
			 Osprey Quay Yes 
			 Oxley Park Milton Keynes (x2)  
			 Park Hill, Sheffield  
			 Park Prewitt Hospital, Basingstoke Yes 
			 Powerlines (Olympics) Yes 
			 Project Access Yes 
			 Prologis (Olympics) Yes 
			 Public Transport, Milton Keynes  
			 Regional Property Strategy Yes 
			 Roussillion Barracks, Chichester Yes 
			 Royal Mail Group Yes 
			 Royal Shakespeare Estate Yes 
			 Scottish and Newcastle Breweries  
			 SEEDA  
			 Severalls Hospital, Colchester Yes 
			 Silverdale Colliery  
			 Silvertown Way  
			 Sortex (Olympics)  
			 South Lynn MC  
			 St. Francis Hospital, Haywards Heath  
			 St. Margaret's Hospital, Epping Yes 
			 Staff College, Bracknell Yes 
			 Stonebridge  
			 SW District, Northampton Yes 
			 Tattenhoe Park, Milton Keynes  
			 Thames Wharf, Stratford  
			 Think London  
			 Three Mills Yes 
			 Trenchard House  
			 University Campus, Suffolk  
			 Vaux Brewery, Sunderland Yes 
			 Visit London (x2) Yes 
			 W Yorkshire Skills Programme  
			 Walsall Waterfront  
			 Wembley Stadium Yes 
			 West Bedford Infrastructure Yes 
			 West End, Milton Keynes Yes 
			 West Middlesex Hospital  
			 Whittingham Hospital, Preston Yes 
			 Woolston Riverside

Empty Property

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many properties were vacant for a period of longer than six months in each region in each of the last three years;
	(2)  how many vacant dwellings there were in each region in each of the last three years.

John Healey: Details of the number of long-term empty dwellings and all empty dwellings in each region in England on specific dates in each of the last three years are shown in the tables.
	The data are from snapshots taken in the autumn of each year and are as reported to Communities and Local Government by all billing authorities in England on their annual Council Taxbase (CTB) and CTB (Supplementary) returns.
	
		
			  Long- term empty properties by regions 
			   9 October 2006  7 October 2007  6 October 2008 
			 North East 21,886 21,583 22,531 
			 North West 71,811 73,047 73,888 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 36,336 40,084 43,352 
			 East Midlands 27,763 27,542 28,910 
			 West Midlands 35,910 34,833 35,495 
			 East of England 25,039 24,704 26,255 
			 London 40,142 36,534 37,150 
			 South East 34,278 34,226 35,991 
			 South West 25,276 21,732 24,285 
			 Total England 318,441 314,285 327,857 
		
	
	
		
			  Total empty properties by regions 
			   9 October 2006  7 October 2007  6 October 2008 
			 North East 48,287 48,099 50,623 
			 North West 136,783 141,186 137,849 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 90,947 101,091 102,241 
			 East Midlands 65,495 70,084 76,956 
			 West Midlands 79,208 80,401 79,848 
			 East of England 68,485 69,107 75,198 
			 London 86,701 84,627 85,924 
			 South East 102,812 101,809 105,111 
			 South West 69,441 66,915 70,272 
			 Total England 748,159 763,319 784,022

Fire Services: Manpower

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to her Department's Fire and Rescue Service: Operational Statistics Bulletin for England, December 2008, for what reasons Merseyside Fire Authority has more retained firefighters than retained firefighter posts.

Sadiq Khan: The figure published for the number of retained firefighter posts in Merseyside fire and rescue service was incorrect, and should have been 185 units of 24-hour cover at 31 March 2008. The relevant table in the Operational Statistics Bulletin will be republished on the Department's website with the figures corrected.

Fires: Domestic Waste

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many refuse container fires in  (a) Hemel Hempstead and  (b) Hertfordshire were recorded in each of the last five years.

Sadiq Khan: Information concerning fires attended by fire and rescue services, in England, is available at fire and rescue authority level and above only. Information regarding the number of fires solely in refuse containers is not held centrally.
	Information regarding all refuse fires, attended by Fire and Rescue Services in England, including those in refuse containers is available in the table.
	
		
			  Total refuse and refuse container fires( 1) , England, 2003-07( 2) 
			  FRS area  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007( 2) 
			 England 152,461 119,430 114,307 107,677 108,335 
			 Avon 3,583 2,587 2,136 1,613 1,489 
			 Bedfordshire 1,332 1,074 980 863 911 
			 Berkshire 1,323 986 869 796 831 
			 Buckinghamshire 1,821 1,385 1,349 1,307 1,181 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,233 1,065 1,056 1,134 941 
			 Cheshire 3,865 3,366 3,494 3,160 2,881 
			 Cleveland 4,776 3,569 3,787 4,001 3,853 
			 Cornwall 414 386 375 412 320 
			 Cumbria 1,519 1,234 1,441 1,400 1,305 
			 Derbyshire 1,586 1,297 1,161 1,351 1,230 
			 Devon 1,794 1,617 1,419 1,597 1,459 
			 Dorset 674 585 569 540 525 
			 Durham 2,674 2,185 2,332 2,325 2,419 
			 East Sussex 1,312 1,175 966 905 862 
			 Gloucestershire 1,022 781 777 661 618 
			 Greater London 18,883 14,275 14,007 12,055 12,478 
			 Greater Manchester 14,237 10,847 11,058 10,543 10,451 
			 Hampshire 3,405 3,025 2,646 2,728 2,512 
			 Hereford and Worcester 1,024 721 667 721 621 
			 Hertfordshire 1,981 1,427 1,469 1,311 1,197 
			 Humberside 5,460 4,217 3,824 3,515 3,459 
			 Isle of Wight 120 142 130 131 130 
			 Isles of Scilly 6 1 0 5 0 
			 Kent 3,836 3,199 2,978 2,481 2,326 
			 Lancashire 6,349 4,574 4,324 2,360 4,362 
			 Leicestershire 1,772 1,550 1,392 1,455 1,429 
			 Lincolnshire 874 726 662 836 965 
			 Merseyside 12,913 8,854 7,310 7,086 6,493 
			 Norfolk 1,045 941 914 1,032 861 
			 North Yorkshire 1,255 973 985 1,026 940 
			 Northamptonshire 2,056 1,651 1,634 1,361 1,409 
			 Northumberland 1,199 901 856 888 949 
			 Nottinghamshire 2,746 2,111 2,128 2,080 1,983 
			 Oxfordshire 678 602 575 483 553 
			 Shropshire 1,037 827 854 787 784 
			 Somerset 729 556 490 507 541 
			 South Yorkshire 5,850 4,670 4,965 4,958 5,563 
			 Staffordshire 2,704 2,335 2,355 2,272 2,327 
			 Suffolk 844 787 689 782 713 
			 Surrey 1,185 951 945 940 916 
			 Tyne and Wear 7,869 6,104 5,488 6,035 6,050 
			 Warwickshire 1,088 936 831 887 816 
			 West Midlands 9,514 7,733 7,570 7,067 7,029 
			 West Sussex 1,212 972 838 727 728 
			 West Yorkshire 10,949 9,030 8,455 8,000 8,407 
			 Wiltshire 713 500 557 553 518 
			 (1) Based on primary and secondary fire data. (2) Provisional data for 2007 are provisional and subject to change  Notes: 1. Primary fire figures are based on sampled data weighted to true brigade totals. 2. Secondary fire figures are based on monthly FDR3 aggregated returns.  Source: CLG

Fires: Domestic Waste

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many refuse container fires in  (a) Hemel Hempstead and  (b) Hertfordshire resulted in death in each of the last five years.

Sadiq Khan: The information requested is available in the table.
	
		
			  Fatal refuse container fires( 1,2)  by FRS area, UK, 2003 - 07 
			  FRS area  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007( 3) 
			 England 0 0 0 1 2 
			   
			 Avon 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Bedfordshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Berkshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Buckinghamshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cheshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cleveland 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cornwall 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cumbria 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Derbyshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Devon 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Dorset 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Durham 0 0 0 0 0 
			 East Sussex 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Essex 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Gloucestershire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Greater Manchester 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Hampshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Hereford and Worcester 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Hertfordshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Humberside 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Isle of Wight 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Isles of Scilly 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Kent 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Lancashire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Leicestershire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Lincolnshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Merseyside 0 0 0 0 2 
			 Norfolk 0 0 0 0 0 
			 North Yorkshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Northamptonshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Northumberland 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Nottinghamshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Oxfordshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Shropshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Somerset 0 0 0 0 0 
			 South Yorkshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Staffordshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Suffolk 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Surrey 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Tyne and Wear 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Warwickshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 West Midlands 0 0 0 0 0 
			 West Sussex 0 0 0 0 0 
			 West Yorkshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Wiltshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 (1) Including additional late call and heat and smoke damage incidents (not recorded prior to 1994). (2) Figures are based on sampled data weighted to true brigade totals.  (2) Figures for 2007 are provisional and subject to change.   Source:  CLG Ref: 2009032_PM(03-07).sas 21APR09.

First Time Buyers

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people have applied for assistance under the first-time buyers initiative; how many applications have been granted; and what the average level of support provided has been.

Iain Wright: Since the start of the FTBI programme, 37,455 applications have been registered where the applicant has either specifically mentioned FTBI or included it as one of the HomeBuy products that they are considering. Therefore, the number does not exclusively comprise FTBI applications.
	Of the total number of applications, around 30,275 have been approved as eligible for the HomeBuy products, including FTBI.
	In terms of the average level of support provided, an average contribution of about 72,500 has been made in each purchase.

Homes and Communities Agency: Finance

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what additional funding will be provided for the Homes and Communities Agency as a result of the 2009 Budget; what schemes this funding will be used to support; and in which region each such scheme will be.

Margaret Beckett: As a result of the Budget 2009 the HCA will receive an additional 635 million. This is broken down as follows:
	400 million to unlock currently stalled developments by providing development finance, and additional funding for social and affordable housing, including help for first time buyers.
	50 million to enable local authorities to deliver new social housing over the next two years.
	Up to 80 million to support delivery of the Mortgage Rescue Scheme which is being extended to enable households in negative equity (up to a maximum of 120 per cent. loan to value) to access the scheme.
	84 million to provide cavity wall insulation in the social sector.
	21 million for investment in innovative low-carbon heating systems which support housing developments.
	These programmes will be administered nationally and sites will be selected against criteria including value for money, deliverability and affordability. Nevertheless, the Government expect a good regional distribution of projects and have asked regional partners for their priorities.

Housing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what estimate has been made of the number of homes owned by housing associations in each of the last three years;
	(2)  what estimate has been made of the number of homes owned by registered social landlords in each of the last three years.

Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 30 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 980-82W.

Housing Associations

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate has been made of the market value of homes owned by housing associations in each of the last three years.

Iain Wright: An estimate of the monetary value of homes owned by registered social landlords (RSLs) in each of the last three years provided in the following table is derived from the financial accounts of RSLs. The value given is the aggregate of figures provided by individual RSLs to the TSA by all RSLs that own 1,000 or more homes, representing approximately 97 per cent. of all homes owned in the RSL sector. This is reported in the publication Global accounts of housing associations produced by the TSA. The estimate of value is provided taking into account the public grant subsidy received.
	
		
			   million 
			   As at 31 March each year 
			   2008  2007  2006 
			 Build cost/value 85,164 77,426 70,295 
			 Public sector grants 34,357 31,815 28,891 
			 Estimated value of homes in the sector 50,807 45,611 41,404

Housing: Care Leavers

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities make specific mention of the accommodation needs of care leavers in their  (a) housing and  (b) homelessness strategies.

Iain Wright: The Department does not collect this information centrally. However making sure that care leavers have access to an appropriate range of accommodation options is a priority for Government.
	Local authorities are expected to assess and plan for the current and future housing needs for all local people, including vulnerable people such as care leavers. They have statutory responsibilities for providing care leavers with the support they need until they are 21, or longer if they remain in an approved programme of education or training. Where care leavers are under 18 but have moved on from foster care or a children's home, their responsible local authority has a duty to make sure that they are maintained in suitable accommodation.
	To support and improve access to suitable accommodation for care leavers my Department has taken a number of recent steps. Last year we jointly published guidance with the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) on how agencies should work together to prevent youth homelessness with a focus on enabling care leavers to have access to the full range of supported accommodation for young people in their area. This combines with our ongoing work on PSA 16 which sets out the Government's aim that the most vulnerable adults are offered the chance to get back on a path to a more successful life by increasing the proportion of socially excluded adults in settled accommodation and in employment, education or training. Care leavers are one of the four groups the PSA specifically focuses on.
	This work includes targeted intervention with local authorities across the country who have the lowest percentages of care leavers in suitable accommodation; DCSF staff based in regional Government offices and CLG jointly conduct these visits.
	Our work on the National Youth Homelessness Scheme also monitors homelessness acceptances by care leavers on a quarterly basis and has an ongoing visit programme to local authorities to help them improve their approach to preventing and tackling youth homelessness in order to support young people, including care leavers, who need help with their transition to independence.

Housing: Construction

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the projected figure for housing completions in 2007-08 was in October 2007; how many such completions there were in 2007-08; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: No projection was made by the Government for housing completions in 2007-08. In 2007-08, housing completions in England totalled 166,990.

Housing: Energy

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many energy efficient homes have been built in England in the last five years.

Iain Wright: All new homes built in the last five years have been required to meet the minimum energy efficiency standards of Part L of the Building Regulations. The Part L standard for new homes was raised by 20 per cent. in 2006. This requirement will progressively increase leading up to the Zero Carbon target from 2016.
	There are a number of homes that have been built to higher standards than regulation requires at this time. These homes may have been built for a number of different reasons through various schemes, such as the Code for Sustainable Homes.

Affordable Housing

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the London and Quadrant Up2You portfolio completed the investment management system process under the National Affordable Housing Programme.

Iain Wright: The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) have concluded discussions with LQ regarding the proposals to unlock additional affordable housing across the Up2U package of development sites. The specific bids which pertain to each individual site have yet to be entered onto the investment management system. This will be completed later this financial year.

Affordable Housing

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the maximum household income is at which a household is eligible for intermediate level  (a) affordable housing and  (b) shared ownership schemes.

Iain Wright: There is no standard maximum household income at which a household becomes eligible for intermediate level affordable housing and/or shared ownership schemes. This will vary depending on the location and type of scheme. Purchasers' household income must not exceed 60,000 and they must be able to demonstrate that they cannot buy without assistance but can sustain home ownership.

Affordable Housing

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what regulations govern the provision of domestic properties via property purchase-and-rent-back schemes.

Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
	Sale and rent back agreements are not currently regulated. On 6 February 2009, the Government published a consultation document, proposing that companies offering sale and rent back agreements are brought within the scope of Financial Services Authority (FSA) regulation. The consultation will close on 1 May 2009. It is available at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/consult_sale_rent.htm
	The FSA has published a separate consultation alongside on the detail of its proposed new regime, available at:
	http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pages/Library/Policy/CP/2009/09_06.shtml

Affordable Housing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people have applied for assistance via the OwnHome scheme; how many applications have been granted; and what the average level of support provided has been.

Iain Wright: 6,409 applications were made for the Own Home scheme to the end of March 2009, of which 4,758 were approved by the provider for the purchaser to seek a property. The average level of support in terms of Government funding was 28,400.

Affordable Housing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much the Homes and Communities Agency spent on acquiring unsold stock for affordable housing in March 2009.

Iain Wright: Provisional figures show that the Homes and Communities Agency allocated around 118 million in March 2009 on acquiring unsold stock for affordable housing. In total over 350 million was allocated on the purchase of unsold stock from developers to provide around 9,600 affordable homes.

Affordable Housing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she plans to review the level of maximum right to buy discounts in each region; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: The Government have no plan to review the maximum limits on Right to Buy discounts.

Affordable Housing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what the maximum right to buy discount was in each region in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  what the maximum right to buy discount was in 2008-09 prices in each region in each of the last 10 years.

Iain Wright: The answer is as follows:
	
		
			
			  London:  
			 February 1999 to March 2003 38,000 
			  March 2003 to date:  
			 All boroughs but two 16,000 
			 Barking and Dagenham, Havering 38,000 
			  South East:  
			 February 1999 to March 2003 38,000 
			  March 2003 to date:  
			 All districts but the following nine 38,000 
			 Chiltern, Epsom and Ewell, Hart, Oxford, Reading, Reigate and Banstead, Tonbridge and Mailing, Vale of White Horse, West Berkshire 16,000 
			  Eastern:  
			 February 1999 to March 2003 34,000 
			  March 2003 to date:  
			 All districts but Watford 34,000 
			 Watford 16,000 
			  February 1999 to date:  
			 South West 30,000 
			 North West 26,000 
			 West Midlands 26,000 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 24,000 
			 East Midlands 24,000 
			 North East 22,000

Affordable Housing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many housing association tenants were eligible to take part in the preserved right to buy scheme in each region in each of the last three years.

Iain Wright: Assured tenants of housing associations who were formerly secure tenants of local authorities and have transferred to their present landlords with their homes under large scale voluntary transfers (LSVTs) have a preserved right to buy their homes. The number of dwellings transferred under LSVTs during each of the last three years is as follows:
	
		
			  Dwellings transferred 
			  Region  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 London 4,194 8,984 1,099 
			 South East 7,470 9,860 0 
			 East 6,852 21,338 0 
			 South West 7,882 2,354 0 
			 East Midlands 0 12,659 5,241 
			 West Midlands 0 2,317 0 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 12,256 1,667 0 
			 North East 23,780 11,482 1,911 
			 North West 13,319 22,933 33,704 
			 Total 75,753 93,594 41,955

Affordable Housing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research her Department has undertaken into the effects of increasing the maximum right to buy discounts in each region.

Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) on 28 October 2008,  Official Report, column 970W.

Affordable Housing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many  (a) local authorities and  (b) registered social landlords offered cash incentive schemes to assist their tenants to purchase their homes in each of the last 10 years.

Iain Wright: The number of English local authorities giving cash incentive scheme grants in the last 10 years is as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 1997-98 208 
			 1998-99 188 
			 1999-2000 84 
			 2000-01 72 
			 2001-02 56 
			 2002-03 52 
			 2003-04 46 
			 2004-05 42 
			 2005-06 47 
			 2006-07 44 
			 2007-08 37 
			  Source:  HSSA (2001-02present), HIP Annual Plan (1997-982000-01) as reported by 354 local authorities. 
		
	
	The figures supplied count the number of local authorities giving cash incentive scheme grants and will not include any local authorities offering cash incentive scheme grants that were not taken up in that year.
	In terms of registered social landlords, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Regent's Park and Kensington, North (Ms Buck) on 10 March 2009,  Official Report, column 322W.

Affordable Housing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes have been purchased under the right to acquire scheme in each year since the scheme began; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: The following table shows the number of housing association homes purchased under the Right to Acquire scheme in each year since it commenced in 1997.
	
		
			  RTA sales figures by year 
			   Number of sales 
			 1997-98 0 
			 1998-99 0 
			 1999-2000 4 
			 2000-01 18 
			 2001-02 38 
			 2002-03 111 
			 2003-04 236 
			 2004-05 411 
			 2005-06 471 
			 2006-07 570 
			 2007-08 544 
			 2008-09 (provisional figure) 184 
			 Total 2,587

Affordable Housing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was  (a) retained by her Department and  (b) passed on to the Exchequer from the proceeds of the right to buy scheme in each year since 1980; and what use was made of those receipts in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Iain Wright: Prior to 1 April 2004, receipts arising from the disposal of dwellings under right to buy (RTB) were retained by the local authorities, although authorities with debt set aside 75 per cent. of that receipt to repay their housing debt.
	The following table shows for each financial year since 2004-05 the total housing receipts paid by local authorities in England which were retained by the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) and those receipts which were passed to the Treasury. Most of these receipts arise from RTB sales, but data on this are not collected separately.
	
		
			   million 
			   Receipts passed to the Exchequer Consolidated Fund  Receipts retained by the Department for Communities and Local Government 
			 2004-05 1,639 54.9 
			 2005-06 990 74.5 
			 2006-07 735 104.3 
			 2007-08 588 106.1 
			 2008-09(1) 134.3 23.9 
			 (1) Figures for 2008-09 are estimates. 
		
	
	Receipts surrendered to the Exchequer Consolidated Fund are not hypothecated to specific policy areas but, together with other resources, contribute towards the overall fiscal package within which departmental public expenditure programmes are agreed as part of the Spending Review process. Receipts retained by CLG are used to support its housing and planning capital programme expenditure.
	In 2007-08 CLG supported 5.5 billion of housing capital expenditure.

Affordable Housing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many new social homes she expects to be built using the 100 million funding for local authorities to deliver new social housing at higher energy efficiency standards, as referred to on page 105 of the Budget 2009 Red Book;
	(2)  whether funding from the 100 million fund to deliver new social housing at higher energy efficiency standards referred to on page 105 of the Budget 2009 Red Book will be available to housing associations; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  how much is planned to be allocated to each local authority from the 100 million fund for new social housing at higher energy efficiency standards as referred to on page 105 of the Budget 2009 Red Book;
	(4)  what the higher energy efficiency standards will be for new social housing to be delivered with the 100 million of funding referred to on page 105 of the Budget 2009 Red Book.

Iain Wright: The 100 million of funding referred to on page 105 of the Budget 2009 Red Book could potentially deliver up to 900 new council homes. The funding is specifically for local authorities, not housing associations, and will be allocated against bids assessed by the Homes and Communities Agency. The higher energy efficiency standards will be those in the Code for Sustainable Homes, which are ahead of the current building regulation standards. Schemes at higher code levels will be favoured.

Affordable Housing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  on what date the first property was sold under Homebuy Direct; and how many properties have been sold under this scheme;
	(2)  what the average level of financial support from the public purse has been for a home purchased under the Homebuy Direct scheme;
	(3)  how many properties have been purchased through the Homebuy Direct scheme in each region; and what the average price of a property purchased through the scheme has been to date.

Margaret Beckett: The first HomeBuy Direct completions occurred during week commencing 20 April. Detailed sales data for the scheme are compiled and analysed on a monthly basis. These will be available early next month.

Local Government Finance

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was allocated to each local authority  (a) in cash terms and  (b) per head of population in the most recent round of the Local Authority Business Growth Incentive Scheme funding allocations.

John Healey: Funding allocated under the Local Authority Business Growth Incentives Scheme reflected the business growth achieved by each local authority. A table setting out the information requested has been placed in the Library of the House. The table uses National Statistics mid-year population estimates for 2007, published 21 August 2008.

Local Government Finance

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether her Department provides guidance to local authorities on provision of public funding to groups which campaign in local referendums or elections.

John Healey: While there are statutory restrictions on election expenditure by or on behalf of a candidate at a local election, and on expenditure incurred by or on behalf of an individual or body in connection with the conduct or management of any campaign conducted with a view to promoting or procuring a particular outcome in a referendum held under part 2 of the Local Government Act 2000, we have not issued guidance to local authorities on the provision of public funding to groups which campaign in local referendums or elections.
	The Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity, which all local authorities must have regard to, makes clear that the principles set out in the publicity code, including those pertaining to elections, referendums and petitions should be taken into account by local authorities in decisions on assistance to others to issue publicity.

Maps: EC Law

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans Ordnance Survey has to implement the EU INSPIRE Directive; and whether it plans to provide data under the Directive free of charge to the public.

Iain Wright: The INSPIRE (Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe) directive has the aim of improving the availability of spatial datasets (including geographical data) held by, or on behalf of, the public sector, for the purposes of Community environmental policies, and policies or activities which may have an effect on the environment.
	The directive will be accompanied by a series of implementing rules (IR) which will frame the practical implementation and operation of the directive. Ordnance Survey continues to provide experts to support UK engagement with the development of the IRs. Until these are adopted and operational it is not possible to be definitive on what information will be required to be made available through INSPIRE-compliant information services.
	Ordnance Survey's responsibilities as the national mapping agency of Great Britain are not changed by the INSPIRE directive. It will continue to be responsible for the official, definitive surveying and topographic mapping of Great Britain, as defined in its Public Task and Framework Document.
	Since the INSPIRE directive makes provision for member states to allow public sector information holders to make charges for the use of their data, Ordnance Survey's new business strategy, announced in the Operational Efficiency Programme (OEP) alongside the Budget, is unaffected.

Mortgages

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many home owners in  (a) Ribble Valley constituency,  (b) Lancashire and  (c) England took out mortgages in the last five years.

Iain Wright: Data on actual numbers of mortgage taken out are available from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). However they are only available for the United Kingdom as a whole.
	The Council of Mortgage Lenders latest press release on this is on their website at:
	http://www.cml.org.uk/cml/media/press/2218
	The CML data on mortgage lending are no longer freely available from their website. For detailed time series information members of the public can request to subscribe to CML to obtain access to a restricted website.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what changes to the eligibility criteria of the Mortgage Rescue Scheme have been introduced as a result of the 2009 Budget; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what changes to the eligibility criteria of the Mortgage Rescue Scheme have been introduced as a result of the Budget 2009; what estimate has been made of the number of households which will become eligible for the scheme as a result of those changes; whether she plans to publish a revised impact assessment for the scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: It was announced in the Budget 2009 that the eligibility criteria for the Mortgage Rescue Scheme will be amended to include eligible households in negative equity, provided that their loan to value ratio is less than 120 per cent. This reflects our commitment to keep the scheme under review to respond flexibly to changing housing market conditions. This is a demand-led scheme, but we estimate that it should help up to 6,000 of the most vulnerable households at risk of repossession remain in their home. This change means that households who borrowed responsibly but have fallen into negative equity because of falling house prices can still be considered for support under the scheme. This does not materially affect the Impact assessment published on 16 September 2008, so we have no plans to update this.

Non-Domestic Rates: Ports

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough of 12 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 750-1W, on non-domestic rates: ports, if she will publish the address and rateable value of each hereditament in each port  (a) pre-review and  (b) post-review.

John Healey: The 2005 non-domestic rating list is published on the website of the Valuation Office Agency and is available to inspect at:
	http://www.voa.gov.uk/index.htm
	A single rating list has been compiled for each billing authority area and the Valuation Office Agency do not hold separate lists of properties attributable to smaller locations such as ports. The information requested could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

Planning Permission

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the number of planning applications for commercial purposes made in the last two years; and if she will encourage local authorities to reduce planning costs for small and medium-sized businesses.

Iain Wright: The number of planning applications for commercial developments granted or refused in 2007 and 2008 was 26,000 and 23,000 respectively.
	In March 2009 the Government responded to the Killian Pretty Review and identified that an early priority will be work to reduce the need for planning permission for some small scale developments by businesses and public services. Specifically, by summer 2009, we propose to consult on draft proposals to streamline information requirements for applicants. Subject to the consideration of public consultation responses, new regulations will be introduced in April 2010.
	In addition, the Government have accepted the Killian Pretty finding that the national planning policy framework should be overhauled and simplified. A key aim of the forthcoming review of national planning policy is to produce a framework that is focussed on the needs of the user. In the current economic climate, these needs are likely to include reduced planning costs for small and medium-sized businesses.

Planning Permission

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many planning applications were received by local planning authorities in each quarter of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: The numbers of planning applications received by local authorities in England in each quarter of the last five years are tabled as follows:
	
		
			  Period  Number received (thousand) 
			 January to March 2004 177 
			 April to June 2004 185 
			 July to September 2004 175 
			 October to December 2004 159 
			   
			 January to March 2005 170 
			 April to June 2005 170 
			 July to September 2005 161 
			 October to December 2005 147 
			   
			 January to March 2006 165 
			 April to June 2006 170 
			 July to September 2006 157 
			 October to December 2006 149 
			   
			 January to March 2007 168 
			 April to June 2007 174 
			 July to September 2007 166 
			 October to December 2007 150 
			   
			 January to March 2008 158 
			 April to June 2008 149 
			 July to September 2008 135 
			 October to December 2008 111 
			  Source:  Communities and Local Government General Development Control Returns PS1/PSF.

Rented Housing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what proportion of households in the  (a) local authority and  (b) registered social landlord sector have held a tenancy for more than (i) three and (ii) five years.

Iain Wright: Based on the 2007-08 Survey of English Housing it is estimated that:
	(i) about 3 million social tenants (74 per cent. of the sector) had been in their current home for more than three years;
	(ii) about 2.5 million social tenants (62 per cent. of the sector) had occupied their current home for at least five years.
	Reliable separate estimates for local authority tenants and registered social landlord tenants are not available.

Rents

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment her Department has made of the effect on small businesses of recent private sector rent increases; and what assistance her Department provides to small businesses in respect of such increases.

Iain Wright: Commercial leases are a matter of private contract. Leases will set out any arrangements under which the rent may be varied during the course of the tenancy, in order to reflect current market values, and will commonly provide for the rent to be decided by an independent third party where the landlord and tenant cannot agree. When business tenancies protected by the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 are renewed, the rent is restricted to the market value. The Department for Communities and Local Government does not provide direct assistance to small businesses in respect of rent increases, although Small Business Rate Relief is available to those businesses that meet the eligibility criteria.
	Both landlords and tenants are affected by the current economic climate and a close working relationship will be of mutual benefit. As a result of Government concern about inflexible leasing practices, the property industry introduced a new voluntary 'Code for Leasing Business Premises' in March 2007. The Government look to the code and ancillary documents to promote more flexibility in the commercial property market, and especially to promote greater awareness among small business tenants. Government are monitoring the dissemination, use and impact of the code, and will evaluate the outcome to see if it has made a difference.

Repossession Orders

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many domestic properties in  (a) Ribble Valley constituency,  (b) Lancashire and  (c) England have been repossessed in the last five years.

Iain Wright: There are two independent sources of data on actual numbers of mortgage possessions: The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) and the Financial Services Authority (FSA). However both are only available for the United Kingdom as a whole.
	The Council of Mortgage Lenders latest press release on this is on their website at:
	http://www.cml.org.uk/cml/media/press/2108
	The CML data on repossessions are no longer freely available from their website. For detailed time series information members of the public can request to subscribe to CML to obtain access to a restricted website.
	The Financial Services Authority data are available on their website at:
	http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pages/Doing/Regulated/Returns/IRR/statistics/
	The CML and FSA release slightly different figures. The CML data are for repossessions on first-charge mortgages only, including Buy-to-Let mortgages, as issued by their members. CML estimate that their lenders currently account for 98 per cent. of mortgage lending. The FSA data, as well as covering possessions on first-charge mortgages, cover possessions on second-charge loans by regulated firms (many second charge lenders are not regulated) but do not cover possessions as comprehensively on Buy-to-Let mortgages, as some of these are from unregulated firms. The overall effect of the differences is that the FSA's statistics on possessions are slightly higher.

Second Homes

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many second homes there were in each council tax band in each local authority area in England in each year from 1997 to 2008.

Iain Wright: I have today placed in the Library of the House tables containing details of the number of second homes in each council tax band in each local authority area in England since 2004. Information for previous years is not available.

Shared Ownership Schemes

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many properties bought through shared ownership schemes have been repossessed in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what assistance her Department provides to owners of a property bought through a shared ownership scheme who are at risk of repossession.

Iain Wright: Data on the number of shared ownership properties which have been repossessed are collected by individual housing associations and are not held centrally.
	The Government are determined to do everything possible to ensure families facing possible repossession have the chance to remain in their homes, and that repossession is always the last resort. The 280 million Government Mortgage Rescue Scheme was rolled out across England at the beginning of this year. The scheme will help up to 6,000 of the most 'vulnerable' households (families with dependent children, or those containing elderly, ill or disabled people) who would be entitled to homelessness assistance, if repossessed.
	Shared owners do not generally have the need for assistance from this programme because housing associations were able to reinvest capital grant held in their recycled capital grant funds for the priority purpose of helping shared owners at risk of repossession. This help includes the option of a lower level of home ownership or a rental option.

Tenancy Deposit Scheme

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many complaints have been received from  (a) tenants and  (b) landlords regarding the tenancy deposit scheme since it became operational.

Iain Wright: The three tenancy deposit scheme providers have received a total of 358 complaints since the scheme was launched in April 2007. We do not have a breakdown between complaints received from landlords and tenants. Communities and Local Government has no role in dealing with such complaints.

Young Muslims Advisory Group

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what projects the Young Muslims Advisory Group  (a) ran in 2008-09 and  (b) is expected to run in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11; what funding has been allocated to such projects in each of the three years; which such projects have been subcontracted to third parties; and how the performance of subcontractors will be monitored.

Sadiq Khan: The Young Muslims Advisory Group was launched in October 2008 and will run for a two year period.
	In 2008-09 the YMAG delivered a national youth conference in Leeds which over 320 young people of all faiths aged 15-25 from across England attended. The total cost of this event was 110,000.
	In 2009-10 the group will be taking forward projects on research, communication and civic participation. Funding has not yet been allocated to these projects.
	The promotion and branding of the YMAG was subcontracted to a creative agency. This organisation is a regular partner on Prevent work. Their work is monitored through regular meetings and evaluation reports.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Buildings: Carbon Emissions

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what guidance his Department has issued to businesses on reducing carbon dioxide emissions from commercial buildings; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: The DECC-funded Carbon Trust provides information and advice to help businesses and public sector organisations improve their energy efficiency. Advice is delivered via the Carbon Trust website, dedicated advice line, and a range of further services for organisations of different sizes.
	DECC initiatives such as the free CHP Focus website and helpline service, which offers free advice to organisations on combined heat and power applications, are also available to help businesses reduce their carbon emissions.
	In addition to this Department's activities, energy performance certificates have been introduced by communities and local government (CLG) to help improve the energy efficiency of all buildings. Since October 2008 commercial and public buildings must have one whenever the building is sold, built or rented.
	EPCs form part of a programme of work that will make a difference to the 50 per cent. of UK carbon emissions that arise from buildings. Other changes include requiring display energy certificates for larger public buildings from October 2008 and inspections for air conditioning systems from January 2009. The CLG website also has a number of publications giving industry guidance on the energy performance of buildings.

Departmental Billing

John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what percentage of invoices his Department has paid within 10 days of receipt in each of the last five months.

Mike O'Brien: The percentage of invoices paid within 10 days of receipt for the last five months is as follows:
	
		
			   Percentage  paid within 10 days 
			  2008  
			 November 73 
			 December 88 
			   
			  2009  
			 January 98 
			 February 99 
			 March 97

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many officials in his Department are suspended; how many are suspended on full pay; for how long each has been suspended; and what the reasons are for each such suspension.

Mike O'Brien: There are no DECC staff suspended on full pay at this time.

Energy: EU Law

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he received the reasoned opinion from the European Commission in respect of the transposition and implementation of the Energy Services Directive; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 24 April 2009
	The Government received a reasoned opinion on directive 2006/32/EU on energy end-use efficiency and energy services from the EU Commission dated 2 February 2009. The Government are fully committed to the energy efficiency aims of the directive and ensuring these are fully met in the United Kingdom. They have responded to the commission with a detailed explanation of the measures which are now in place to transpose and implement the directive's requirements and of some minor outstanding points, and will continue to work closely with the commission in this regard.

Energy: Subsidies

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress has been made on the Johannesburg Summit agreement on phasing out energy subsidies which inhibit sustainable development; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: This Government are committed to better understanding both the extent and distribution of subsidies to energy sources, and the impact of such subsidies on trade, development and climate change. The Department for International Development has recently committed 300,000 over a four year period (starting 2008-09) to a major research project being undertaken by the International Institute for Sustainable Development. The project will clarify the scale of fossil fuel subsidies and their impacts on sustainable development, and propose measures to reduce, eliminate or redirect these where appropriate.
	At the London Energy Meeting in December, where over 35 countries were represented (including the main consumers and producers of oil, and leading companies and international organisations), participants agreed on the importance of measures to promote stability in the oil market, and the importance of promoting energy efficient, and carbon-reducing technologies. Participants also noted that better-functioning markets would give more consistent price signals to enable producer and consumer countries to have greater confidence in making investment and purchasing decisions.

Insulation: Hampshire

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much has been spent from the public purse on insulating the homes of pensioners in  (a) Test Valley borough,  (b) the ceremonial county of Hampshire and  (c) the City of Southampton in each of the last five years.

Joan Ruddock: Funding to encourage take-up of energy efficiency measures in Great Britain is available primarily through two schemes: the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) and Warm Front, but only Warm Front is funded from the public purse. The tables illustrate the investment made by Warm Front in insulation measures to improve the energy efficiency of householders over 60 in  (a) Test Valley borough,  (b) the ceremonial county of Hampshire and  (c) the City of Southampton in each year since 2005.
	CERT is operated and funded by the six major energy suppliers, which are required to meet targets by encouraging households to take-up energy efficiency measures, including insulation and high-efficiency lights and appliances. Ofgem, the scheme administrator, does not collect data on energy supplier spend. However, based on the costs of the measures promoted by energy suppliers, we estimate that the overall spend by energy suppliers on delivering their CERT obligations across Great Britain will exceed 3 billion over the period 2008-11.
	
		
			  Test Valley 
			   
			   Over 60  Under  60  Total 
			 2004-05 29,910.11 10,886.54 40,796.65 
			 2005-06 25,421.34 11,034.44 36,455.78 
			 2006-07 50,461.79 23,425.01 73,886.80 
			 2007-08 14,337.19 6,059.82 20,397.01 
			 2008-09 14,437.33 7,584.35 22,021.68 
		
	
	
		
			  Ceremonial County of Hampshire 
			   
			   Over 60  Under 60  Total 
			 2004-05 653,684.31 544,569.40 1,198,253.71 
			 2005-06 378,468.46 297,446.54 675,915.00 
			 2006-07 404,556.32 213,609.24 618,165.56 
			 2007-08 278,360.25 154,906.72 433,266.97 
			 2008-09 295,344.54 174,809.20. 470,153.74 
		
	
	
		
			  Southampton 
			   
			   Over 60  Under 60  Total 
			 2004-05 158,144.74 129,960.42 288,105.16 
			 2005-06 67,293.48 54,848.91 122,142.39 
			 2006-07 25,705.02 20,117.48 45,822.50 
			 2007-08 44,191.51 29,759.13 73,950.64 
			 2008-09 54,065.97 33,657.68 87,723.65

Insulation: Housing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what effect the planned changes to the carbon dioxide emissions reduction target announced on 12 February 2009 will have on achievement of the Government's target of insulating cavity walls.

Joan Ruddock: The central proposal in the CERT amendment consultation of February 2009 is for a 20 per cent. increase to the carbon saving obligation on energy suppliers, to set an enhanced ambition of 185 MtCO2 by March 2011. As a market mechanism, it is at energy suppliers' discretion how they choose to meet this more ambitious target. Insulation remains one of the most cost effective measures at their disposal to promote. Of suppliers' savings towards their current targets in the first nine months of the scheme, 62 per cent. came from insulation.

Insulation: Housing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what target has been set for the number of  (a) lofts and  (b) cavity walls to be insulated in each of the next three years.

Joan Ruddock: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced last year an ambition to insulate six million homes by 2011. Further to this, we proposed in the Heat and Energy Saving Strategy consultation to offer all homes the opportunity to have lofts and cavities insulated, where practicable, by 2015. However, we have not set annual targets for insulation or any other specific measure.

Insulation: Housing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many (a) lofts and  (b) cavity walls have been insulated in each of the last three years.

Joan Ruddock: The latest available full-year figures cover the three-year period of the Energy Efficiency Commitment (April 2005-March 2008). These show annual professional installation figures in thousands, as follows:
	
		
			   Loft insulation  Cavity wall insulation 
			 2005-06 370,000 430,000 
			 2006-07 390,000 460,000 
			 2007-08 498,000 446,000 
		
	
	Additional lofts and cavities were insulated under the Warm Front Scheme and Decent Homes programme.

Nuclear Power Stations: Public Consultation

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to inform members of the public of its consultation process in respect of the 11 sites identified for potential new nuclear power stations in England and Wales.

Mike O'Brien: The Government will consult on the draft Nuclear National Policy Statement, which will contain the results of its assessment of the suitability of the 11 sites, later in the year. Detailed plans for this consultation are not yet in place.
	However, the Department has created a leaflet detailing the steps at which the public can have their say in the siting process. Since January 2009, 28,500 hard copies have been sent out in English and 3,000 in Welsh and this leaflet is also available at:
	www.nuclearpowersiting.gov.uk
	In addition to this, the 11 nominations have been made available to the public on this website and members of the public will be able to comment on those nominations from 15 April to 14 May this year. This is in addition to the consultation on the draft list of sites which will take place later this year and was introduced in response to comments made during the Government's consultation on the SSA process last year.
	The Government have taken various steps to inform people about the opportunity to comment on nominations. In particular, it was advertised in 46 local newspapers around sites. The titles were chosen with input from the relevant local authorities.
	In addition, the Department's press notice and ministerial contact with national media meant that there was extensive regional and national press coverage of the opportunity to comment on the sites, and an email alert was sent to over 1,100 stakeholders who have registered with the Office for Nuclear Development as interested parties.

Nuclear Power Stations: Public Consultation

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much the Department will spend on publicising its consultation on the proposed sites for new nuclear power stations.

Mike O'Brien: The Government will consult on the draft Nuclear National Policy Statement, which will contain the results of its assessment of the suitability of the 11 sites, later in the year. Detailed plains for this consultation are not yet in place. However, the Department has created a leaflet outlining how the public can have their say in the siting process. Since January 2009, 28,500 hard copies have been sent out in English and 3,000 in Welsh, at a cost of 10,521 so far.
	In addition to this, the 11 nominations have been made available to the public on a dedicated website and members of the public will be able to comment on those nominations from 15 April to 14 May this year. This is in addition to the consultation on the draft list of sites which will take place later this year and was introduced in response to comments made during the Government's consultation on the SSA process last year.
	The Government have taken various steps to inform people about the opportunity to comment on nominations. In particular, it was advertised in 46 local newspapers around sites. The titles were chosen with input from the relevant local authorities. In addition, the Department's press notice and ministerial contact with national media meant that there was extensive regional and national press coverage of the opportunity to comment on the sites, and an email alert was sent to over 1,100 stakeholders who have registered with the Office for Nuclear Development as interested parties.

Renewable Energy

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many renewable energy plants there are in each region; and what the generating capacity of each plant is.

Mike O'Brien: The table shows the number of renewable energy plants in each English region, plus Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the total installed capacity for each region or nation.
	The capacity of plants that have been credited under the Renewables Obligation scheme can be found on the Ofgem ROC Register at:
	https://www.renewablesandchp.ofgem.gov.uk/Public/ReportViewer.aspx?ReportPath=/Renewables/Accreditation/AccreditedStationsExternalPublicReportVisibility=1ReportCategory=1
	
		
			  Renewable energy plants in England, Scotland, Wales and NI as at November 2008 
			  Region  Number of schemes  Installed capacity 
			 England 908 2,555.7 
			 Channel Islands 1 3.0 
			 East Midlands 102 215.5 
			 Eastern 122 483.1 
			 North East 73 173.9 
			 North West 141 557.3 
			 London 21 117.0 
			 South East 142 384.5 
			 South West 142 171.1 
			 West Midlands 72 224.4 
			 Yorkshire and The Humber 92 225.6 
			
			 Wales 122 572.9 
			
			 Scotland 375 3,212.2 
			
			 Northern Ireland 116 226.5 
			
			 Total 1,521 6,567.3 
			  Source: AEA Technology

Renewable Energy: Finance

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which 10 renewable energy projects have received the greatest amount of funding from Government sources in each of the last 30 years; and what the location of each such project is.

Mike O'Brien: The information requested is not held centrally and to provide an answer for 30 years would incur disproportionate cost.
	The following table lists the 10 largest renewable energy projects funded by DECC, CLG, DfT, the Research Councils and the Technology Strategy Board, and their predecessors, since 2003-04. Grants are attributed to the year in which the project grant was first claimed, though most grants are paid out over several years.
	
		
			   million 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			  DECC Offshore Wind Capital GrantsRound 1   
			 North Hoyle, Wales  10 
			 Scroby Sands, East of England  10 
			 Kentish Flats, South East   10
			 Barrow Offshore, North West   10
			 Rhyl Flats, Wales 10  
			
			  Research Councils   
			 UK Energy Research Centreincludes some spend on non-renewables  32 (1) (1) (1) (1) 
			 BBSRC Sustainable Bioenergy Centre (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) 20 
			 SUPERGEN PV21: Silicon and Thin film photovoltaic Cells  10.5 (3) (3) (3) (3) 
			 SUPERGEN Flexnet: future networks, for renewable generation 10.4 (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) 
			 SUPERGEN UKSHEC: Sustainable hydrogen energy economy 9.5 (5) (5) (5) (5) (5) 
			 (1) Over period of 10 years, 2004-14. (2 )Over period of five years, 2009-14. (3) Over period to 2012. (4) Over period 2004-11. (5) Over period to 2011.

Warm Front Scheme

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many complaints regarding Warm Front installations his Department has received in each of the last 10 years.

Joan Ruddock: This Department, and its predecessor the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, has kept a record of all Warm Front correspondence cases since January 2007. The total number of cases received by the Department is approximately 1,750. However not all of these cases will necessarily be complaints. DECC has recently put in place mechanisms for recording and monitoring all complaints received.

Warm Front Scheme

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which 10 Warm Front contractors  (a) received the most for work under the scheme and  (b) installed the most (i) heating installations and (ii) radiators in each of the last eight years.

Joan Ruddock: The 10 Warm Front contractors who have received the most payment for work under the scheme during the most recent period for which data are available, (1 June 2005 to 28 February 2009), are detailed as follows. The tables listalphabeticallythe contractors who have  (a) received the most payment for work under the scheme and  (b) installed the most heating installations under Warm Front. It is likely that those installers who have installed the most heating installations will also have installed the most radiators during the same time period.
	 Contractors who have received the most payment for work under the Warm Front scheme:
	 2008-09
	Dyson Insulations Ltd.
	Eaga Heating Services Ltd.
	Eaga Home Services Ltd. (Insulation)
	East Coast Gas Services Ltd.
	Fenhams Contracts
	Gavin Ward Ltd.
	Heating Efficiency Systems Ltd.
	Home Insulation Services
	Johnson and Starley Total Home Comfort Systems
	Premier Energy Solutions.
	 2007-08
	Blue Flag Ltd.
	Dyson Insulations Ltd.
	Eaga Heating Services Ltd.
	Eaga Home Services Ltd. (Insulation)
	East Coast Gas Services Ltd.
	Fenhams Contracts
	Gavin Ward Ltd.
	Heating Efficiency Systems Ltd.
	Johnson and Starley Total Home Comfort Systems
	Kershaw Contracting Services Ltd.
	 2006-07
	A. W. Fairhurst
	Eaga Heating Services Ltd.
	Eaga Home Services Ltd. (Insulation)
	East Coast Gas Services Ltd.
	Fenhams Contracts
	Gavin Ward Ltd.
	Heating Efficiency Systems Ltd.
	Heating Renewables Ltd.
	Interglow Contracts Ltd.
	Kershaw Contracting Services Ltd.
	 2005-06
	A. W. Fairhurst
	Blue Flag Ltd.
	Eaga Heating Services Ltd.
	Eaga Home Services Ltd. (Insulation)
	East Coast Gas Services Ltd.
	Fenhams Contracts
	Heating Efficiency Systems Ltd.
	Kershaw Contracting Services Ltd.
	Lionheart Heating Services Ltd.
	Mark Insulation Ltd.
	The 10 Warm Front contractors who have installed the most heating installations during the most recent period for which data are available, (1 June 2005 to 28 February 2009), are tabled as follows:
	
		
			  2008-09 
			  Contractor name  Heating installations completed 
			 A. W. Fairhurst 1,226 
			 BGC Gas Services Ltd. 1,156 
			 Dyson Insulations Ltd. 2,178 
			 East Coast Gas Services Ltd. 3,057 
			 Fenhams Contracts 3,517 
			 Gavin Ward Ltd 1,208 
			 Heating Efficiency Systems Ltd. 2,098 
			 Heating Renewables Ltd. 1,204 
			 Eaga Heating Services Ltd. 16,632 
			 Premier Energy Solutions 1,573 
		
	
	
		
			  2007-08 
			  Contractor name  Heating installations completed 
			 A. W. Fairhurst 1,805 
			 Blue Flag Ltd. 4,666 
			 Dyson Insulations Ltd. 5,051 
			 East Coast Gas Services 3,258 
			 Fenhams Contracts 5,297 
			 Gavin Ward Ltd. 2,001 
			 Heating Efficiency Systems Ltd. 4,825 
			 Eaga Heating Services Ltd. 32,785 
			 Kershaw Contracting Services Ltd. 2,159 
			 Premier Energy Solutions 1,936 
		
	
	
		
			  2006-07 
			  Contractor name  Heating installations completed 
			 Blue Flag Ltd. 3,098 
			 East Coast Gas Services 2,876 
			 Fenhams Contracts 4,763 
			 Gavin Ward Ltd. 1,880 
			 Harland Rise Ltd. 2,886 
			 Heating Efficiency Systems Ltd. 4,749 
			 Eaga Heating Services Ltd. 18,505 
			 Interglow Contracts Ltd. 3,647 
			 Kershaw Contracting Services Ltd. 2,188 
			 Lionheart Heating Services Ltd. 1,930 
		
	
	
		
			  2005-06 
			  Contractor name  Heating installations completed 
			 A. W. Fairhurst 1,752 
			 Blue Flag Ltd. 1,154 
			 Direct Line Maintenance Services 553 
			 East Coast Gas Services 1,283 
			 Fenhams Contracts 1,259 
			 Harland Rise Ltd. 803 
			 Heating Efficiency Systems Ltd. 1,327 
			 Eaga Heating Services Ltd. 2,818 
			 Kershaw Contracting Services Ltd. 759 
			 Lionheart Heating Services Ltd. 1,435

Warm Front Scheme

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the monetary value of Warm Front grants awarded in  (a) Shropshire,  (b) the West Midlands and  (c) England was in 2008.

Joan Ruddock: The monetary value of Warm Front grants awarded in  (a) Shropshire,  (b) West Midlands and  (c) England for the period 1 April 2008 to 28 February 2009 is detailed in the following table:
	
		
			
			 Shropshire 1,987,752.45 
			 West Midlands 50,102,032.31 
			 England 321,004,578.77

Wind Power: Fisheries

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will commission research into the effect of offshore wind farms on fish stocks.

Mike O'Brien: The likely effect of offshore wind farms on fish stocks and commercial fisheries is being considered at a strategic level as part of the Offshore Energy Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). The SEA Environmental Report published on 26 January 2009 for public consultation noted various potential effects on the marine environment including on fish stocks arising from reductions in fishing effort through the presence of wind turbines and other installations. These effects are similar to those found in marine protected areas and are an active area of research, which the Department is monitoring. The SEA consultation period closed on 22 April 2009 and the Government will publish their decision on the draft plan for up to 25 GW of new offshore wind, including any proposals for future research, later in the year. It should also be noted that site-specific studies of such impacts are currently a requirement of the FEPA licence awarded to developers for individual projects and will need to be included in any Environmental Impact Assessments for future wind farm projects.

WALES

Departmental Billing

John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of invoices his Department has paid within 10 days of receipt in each of the last five months.

Paul Murphy: The percentage of invoices paid by my Department within 10 days for the last five months is:
	
		
			   Percentage  paid within 10 days 
			  2008  
			 November 90 
			 December 98 
			  2009  
			 January 91 
			 February 98 
			 March 99

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Schools in Deprived Areas

Phil Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of recent trends in academic results in schools in deprived areas.

Jim Knight: Over the past decade all groups of schools have improved their performance substantiallybut schools serving the 10 per cent. most deprived areas of England have made gains twice as large as those in the 10 per cent. least deprived areas. Further details are set out in our recent document Breaking the Link between deprivation and low attainmentEveryone's Business.
	It is most encouraging that schools serving areas of social deprivation are making these disproportionate gains.

Standard Assessment Tests

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his most recent assessment is of the effectiveness of Key Stage 2 Standard Assessment Tests; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Balls: Over the last 10 years, testing and assessment have played a vital role in ensuring that more than 100,000 more pupils leave primary school secure in English and maths. As I said to this House in October, the Key Stage 2 tests provide an objective measure of pupils' performance, and a recent survey confirmed that they are greatly valued by parents.
	The Expert Group on assessment that I established last October will shortly publish their advice on further improvements to the assessment system.

Apprenticeships: Keighley

Ann Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many 16 and 17-year-olds in Keighley constituency were undertaking an apprenticeship in 2008.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: 80 people aged 16 to 17 completed an apprenticeship, in Keighley in 2007-08. The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill aims to ensure an apprenticeship place is available for all suitably qualified young people by 2013 and is key to delivering our ambition for one in five young people to be in an apprenticeship in the next decade. We have announced an additional 140 million to provide 35,000 additional places this year, 21,000 of these in the public sector.

Diploma Courses

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils were enrolled on a 14-19 diploma course in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Our latest information shows that around 12,000 young people are currently working towards a Diploma qualification. Learners are based in over 140 consortia, in 100 local authorities.

Sure Start Children's Centres

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has to allocate funding for outreach workers in Sure Start Children's Centres.

Beverley Hughes: We provided local authorities with details of their sure start, Early Years and Childcare Grant allocations for the next three financial years (2008-11) in August 2007. This included resource to enable local authorities to fund another two additional full-time outreach posts in children's centres serving the most disadvantaged communities. Local authorities are responsible for allocating funding to individual children's centres in their area, according to local need.

Youth Services: North-East Derbyshire

Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans his Department has for the future provision of youth services and facilities in North-East Derbyshire.

Beverley Hughes: Local authorities receive funding for youth services from Government through the Revenue Support Grant. Next year Government funding through the Formula Grant will increase by 6.4 per cent. 1.878 million is also being allocated to Derbyshire next year through the Positive Activities for Young People programme and Youth Opportunity and Youth Capital Funds. Over 3 million has also been secured to improve youth facilities in Chesterfield through the myplace programme.

Physical Education

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps his Department takes to support secondary schools in offering fitness, health and sporting activity to 14 to 16 year-olds during core school hours.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: PE is a compulsory part of the National Curriculum for all pupils in secondary schools. We are supporting this through provision of a School Sport Co-ordinator in every secondary school to increase opportunities in PE and sport for their pupils. We are working closely with the Department of Health with our joint strategy 'Healthy lives, brighter futures' which we published in February.

School Meals

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking to promote the take-up of school meals.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The School Food Trust's Million Meals campaign is at the forefront of its work and, in addition, it is taking forward targeted activities at local authority and school level. In 2009-10, it will be working with Government offices to develop regional strategies to increase take-up.

Children's Social Care

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent steps his Department has taken to improve standards of children's social care.

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent steps his Department has taken to improve standards of children's social care.

Beverley Hughes: We are committed to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to lead a happy, healthy life and that no child is left behind. Following unprecedented investment in the last eight years we have seen better educational attainment and more care leavers than ever before in employment or training.
	Improving work force skills and capacity are key to the delivery of high quality social care. We have already announced the investment of 73 million pounds to improve the recruitment, retention and professional development of social workers. In children's homes, we are piloting a social pedagogic approach and have commissioned a training and development framework for staff. We are funding a national roll-out of the 'Fostering Changes' programmea positive parenting programme for foster carers, and through the KEEP pilot projects, enabling elements of the multi-dimensional treatment foster care programme for children with complex needs to be available to foster carers more widely. Further to that, the Social Work Task Force has been established to examine social work practice and make recommendations to Government later this year for any long term reform needed in the system. We have also committed to providing a more detailed response and action plan shortly in response to Lord Laming's 'The Protection of Children in England: A Progress Report'.

Children with Special Educational Needs

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his policy is on the provision of schools for children with special educational needs.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Government's policy on the provision of schools for children with special educational needs is set out in DCSF guidance 'Planning and Developing Special Educational Provision'. This encourages local authorities to develop a range of provision to meet the needs of children, which can include special schools, mainstream schools, designated units and resourced provision within mainstream schools, and co-located schools.

Encouraging Healthy Lifestyles: Primary School Children

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what progress his Department has made in encouraging healthy lifestyles among primary school children; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Good progress has been made to encourage healthy lifestyles among primary school children.
	98 per cent. of schools are participating in the Healthy Schools programme and schools are offering all five to 16-year-olds five hours of PE-sport per week. We have introduced food standards for all schools and the School Food Trust is working with schools so more children eat a healthy school lunch. Change 4 Life will also help children and their families become more healthy.

GCSEs

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking to maintain academic standards of GCSE qualifications.

Jim Knight: In April 2008 we established Ofqual as an independent regulator to ensure that standards in qualifications are maintained. It will report directly to Parliament on standards in the qualifications system in England.
	Ofqual has an established programme for reviewing standards in GCSEs and, if any issues are identified, will ensure that robust action is taken to address them. This should end the annual debate about standards, which undermines the achievements of millions of students.

Academy Programme

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the Academy programme on educational outcomes.

Jim Knight: Academies are having a positive affect on the educational outcomes of children. Improvement rates at GCSE (including English and maths) show academies outstripping the national average. Progress made by pupils on free school meals at academies has also been more than double the national rate of improvement.
	In addition, the PwC evaluation said that
	sponsors contribute significantly to school improvement
	and that
	the quality of leadership is generally very good.

Building Schools for the Future: Sefton

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the timetable is for assessment of Sefton local authority's bid for Building Schools for the Future funds; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: Sefton has been listed as sixth in the provisional prioritisation of projects for local authorities that have not yet started in BSF. Partnerships for Schools the agency administering the process has invited Sefton to make a submission on its readiness to deliver and Sefton has indicated it will send this in by 8 May. PfS will then assess this alongside submissions from other authorities, and expects to complete this evaluation in the next few months.

Children Eligible for Free School Meals: Copeland

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children in Copeland constituency eligible for free school meals achieved five or more A* to C grades at GCSE level in 2008.

Beverley Hughes: In 2008, in maintained schools located in the Copeland constituency 28 pupils eligible for free school meals achieved five or more GCSEs at grades A*-C or equivalent at the end of key stage 4. This is equivalent to 30.1 per cent. of the pupils in that cohort who are eligible for free school meals.

Home Access to Computers: Staffordshire

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children in Staffordshire have made use of his Department's home access to computers scheme.

Jim Knight: The Home Access Programme, announced by the Prime Minister in September 2008, is currently being piloted in two local authorities, Oldham and Suffolk, prior to national roll-out in late autumn. In addition, all local authorities were invited in October 2008 to provide expressions of interest for funding to support learners for which they have a direct parental or additional responsibility. Staffordshire indicated they intend to target 360 such learners by August 2009.

Children in Care

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what accredited pre-tenancy training is available for young people leaving care; and what steps are being taken to make such training available to all young people leaving care.

Beverley Hughes: Local authorities are legally required to prepare a pathway plan setting out the support that will be provided to care leavers so that they can make a positive transition from their care placement to more independent accommodation. This plan will include details of any services that the individual young person might need so that they are able to successfully manage a future tenancy.
	Responsible local authorities for looked after children must not expect them to leave their final care placement unless they are properly prepared and ready. The Children and Young Persons Act 2008 includes provision that prevents local authorities moving a looked after child from a regulated placement to other arrangements, such as an independent tenancy, unless they have decided to do so following a statutory review of the child's case. It will be the purpose of this review, which must be chaired by an Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO), to ensure that there is detailed scrutiny of the preparation of the young person's readiness to make this significant step in their livesso that moves only take place when young people have gained the skills needed to manage in more independent accommodation.

Children in Care

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of children in care have parents that are  (a) married or  (b) living as a couple.

Beverley Hughes: This information is not collected centrally by the Department.

Children in Care: Personal Records

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what entitlement a young person who has left the care of a local authority has to access personal information held on them by that local authority; what guidance is issued by his Department to local authorities in responding to requests for such information; and what redress is available to a young person whose request does not receive a response within a reasonable time.

Beverley Hughes: Under the Data Protection Act 1998 adults who have been in local authority care as children are entitled to access the personal information held on them. Guidance on the Data Protection Act for social services was issued by the Department of Health in 2000. This highlights the need for local authorities to take a sensitive approach in sharing information with adults about their care history and for authorities to provide them with appropriate support during this process. The planned revision of the Children Act statutory guidance which we will be consulting on later this year provides us with the opportunity to update the existing guidance for local authorities, and to promote examples of good practice.

Children in Care: Warrington

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which local authorities have placed children or young people in their care in Warrington in each of the last five years; and how many of these children or young people were placed in the care of each local authority.

Beverley Hughes: Information on the local authorities who have placed children or young people in their care in Warrington in each of the last three years and how many children were so placed in the care of each local authority has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
	Information on the local authority in which a child has been placed has been collected only since 2006.

Children: Abuse

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children have been removed from their parents following a single incident of child harm in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: This information is not collected centrally by the Department.

Children: Internet

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment his Department has made of levels of workforce knowledge and skills in relation to e-safety following its consultation with the Children's Workforce Network.

Beverley Hughes: The report Safer Children in a Digital World of the Byron review into Children and New Technology, published in 2008, identified a need for people who work with children and young people to have greater skills and knowledge in order to promote e-safety. To enhance the levels of workforce knowledge and skills, the Children's Workforce Network has since recommended that promoting e-safety should be part of core skills and knowledge for everyone working with children and young people. We have asked the Children's Workforce Development Council to consider this recommendation as part of the review they are undertaking of the common core of skills and knowledge for the children and young people's workforce.

Communications Champion

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether he has appointed a Communications Champion as referred to in the Speech, Language and Communication Needs Action Plan.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: We are working to fulfil the commitment made in Better Communicationthe speech, language and communication needs action planto appoint an effective Communication Champion and form a Communication Council. This week we have openly invited tenders for an organisation to provide support to the Communication Champion and the Communication Council and host the Communication Champion. The deadline for tenders is midday on 15 June 2009 and we expect to complete this procurement exercise by mid-July. More information about this tender is available at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/slcnaction
	While this tendering exercise is going on, the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department of Health are making arrangements for an agency to run an open recruitment exercise for the Communication Champion. The recruitment exercise is expected to begin before the end of July once it is clear which organisation will host the champion. The champion will be appointed by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and Department of Health with the approval of Ministers at the end of this recruitment exercise.

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many officials in his Department are suspended; how many are suspended on full pay; for how long each has been suspended; and what the reasons are for each such suspension.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: In the Department, as at 31 March 2009, no employees were suspended from duty.

Departmental Freedom of Information

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many requests his Department received under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in 2008; and how many of those were answered within 20 working days.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Quarterly and annual statistics on freedom of information requests received by a number of central Government monitored bodies (including all Departments of state) are published by the Ministry of Justice on their website:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/freedomof informationquarterly.htm
	Statistics for the first three quarters of 2008 are available on the above website and the fourth quarter will be published in due course.

Departmental ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the  (a) energy consumed by,  (b) energy cost of and  (c) carbon dioxide emissions from each category of IT device in each division of his Department and its predecessor in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) does not maintain central records of the energy consumed by; energy cost of; or carbon emissions from its IT devices therefore the information as requested is not available.
	However, DCSF is currently developing a system for monitoring the power usage of its IT devices.

Departmental ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average server capacity utilisation by each division of his Department and its predecessor was in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: No records on average server capacity utilisation are held centrally within the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) therefore the information as requested is not available.

Departmental ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) printers and  (b) multi-function devices with printing functions were in use in each division of his Department and its predecessor in each of the last five years; how many such devices had a function enabling two-sided printing; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) does not maintain historic records of the number of printers and other devices with printing functionality in use throughout its estate and therefore the information is not accessible. However, to be helpful, the following information is available.
	Records show that the number of devices in use throughout the DCSF estate on 5 March 2009 was:
	Printers146
	Multi-function devices165
	Specialist printing devices including plotters6
	All of DCSF's multi-function devices have double sided printing capability. It is not known how many of the printers and specialist printing devices were capable of double sided printing.
	To reduce the use of power and consumables, it is currently planned that by the end of June 2009, DCSF will have replaced almost all of its individual printers, scanners, photocopiers and fax machines with multi-function devices on all of its sites, all of which will be capable of and defaulted to double sided printing. It is anticipated that a small number of individual printing devices will remain in use primarily for reasonable adjustments purposes.
	The Department does not hold records for its Arms Length Bodies.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his latest estimate is of his Department's capital expenditure in  (a) 2008-09,  (b) 2009-10,  (c) 2010-11 and  (d) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The estimates of capital expenditure for the Department's capital expenditure in  (a) 2008-09,  (b) 2009-10,  (c) 2010-11 and  (d) 2011-12 are as follows:
	
		
			million 
			 2008-09 6,006 
			 2009-10 7,174 
			 2010-11 6,282 
			 2011-12 n/a(1) 
			 (1) As the Government works on three-year spending cycles (comprehensive spending reviews), the current cycle is due to finish on 31 March 2010, and as such, the Department at present does not have an estimate of anticipated capital expenditure for 2011-12.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 10 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1951W, on the education maintenance allowance, how many students have  (a) received a notice of entitlement for the education maintenance allowance,  (b) successfully enrolled for the allowance and  (c) received at least one payment since September 2008.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) which operates the education maintenance allowance (EMA) for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). Geoffrey Russell, the LSC's acting chief executive, will write to the hon. Member with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Libraries.

Islam and Citizenship Education Project

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many area-based consultants are involved in delivering the Islam and Citizenship Education project; what funding they receive; how this is monitored; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: One area lead has been appointed to manage the piloting of the Islam and Citizenship Education (ICE) project in each of the six pilot areas (with two for the Bradford and Kirklees area). Each receives 5,500 for this work (divided into two for Bradford/Kirklees). They have each been contracted by the School Development Support Agency (SDSA), which manages the ICE project on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Communities and Local Government. Their role is to recruit and support five madrassahs to pilot the programme of lessons. The SDSA monitors the area leads through regular contact and quarterly formal meetings.

GCSE

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of pupils  (a) eligible and  (b) not eligible for free school meals have been entered for (i) higher and (ii) foundation tier GCSEs in (A) mathematics, (B) English, (C) science, (D) additional science and (E) history in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: The information requested is not held centrally.

GCSE

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many GCSE short courses are accounted for in his Department's league tables.

Jim Knight: In 2008, results from 982,502 GCSE shorts courses were included in the Achievement and Attainment Tables, covering 31 separate accredited subjects. GCSE short courses count at half the size of a full GCSE course in aggregated point scores.
	 Source:
	Achievement and Attainment Tables' database.

Languages: GCSE

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what percentage of schools with a specialism in modern foreign languages offer more than one modern language GCSE.

Jim Knight: The Department does not hold information on the subjects offered by schools at key stage 4.
	Of all schools with a specialism in languages, 349 (99.4 per cent.) entered pupils for assessment in at least two modern foreign languages at GCSE or equivalent in 2008. Schools with 10 or fewer pupils at the end of key stage 4 have not been included in this answer.
	 Source:
	Achievement and Attainment Tables' database.

Literature: GCSE

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many boys in  (a) maintained and  (b) independent schools were entered for an English literature GCSE examination in (i) 1997, (ii) 2005 and (iii) 2008; and how many in each category achieved (A) grade A*, (B) at least grade C and (C) grade D or lower in each year.

Jim Knight: The answer is provided in the following table.
	
		
			   2008  2005  1997 
			  GCSE English literature  Maintained  Independent  Maintained  Independent  Maintained  Independent 
			 Number of entries 228,186 18,774 234,888 18,717 201,949 18,075 
			 Grade A* 6,753 2,743 5,810 2,579 2,817 1,394 
			 At least grade C 140,280 17,492 131,552 17,444 101,258 16,459 
			 Grade D or lower 82,008 1,237 96,006 1,190 94,231 1,535 
			  Source: Achievement and Attainment Tables. 
		
	
	Data for 2008 and 2005 are based on pupils at the end of key stage 4.
	Data for 1997 are based on 15-year-old pupils at the start of the school year.

Science: GCSE

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of  (a) maintained,  (b) specialist science,  (c) grammar and  (d) independent schools offered triple science GCSE courses in physics, chemistry and biology in each year since 1992.

Jim Knight: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 15 December 2008,  Official Report, column 499W.

Science: General Certificate of Secondary Education

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what percentage of schools with a specialism in science offer single science GCSEs.

Jim Knight: The Department does not hold information on the subjects offered by schools at key stage 4.
	Of all schools with a specialism in sciences, 310 (74.8 per cent.) entered at least one pupil in each of the physics, chemistry and biology at GCSE(1) in 2008.
	(1) Only GCSEs have been counted.
	 Source:
	Achievement and Attainment Tables' database.

Qualifications and Curriculum Authority

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what remuneration he expects Dr. Ken Boston to have received from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority between the date of his suspension and 11 June 2009.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: This is a matter for the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA). Andrew Hall, Acting Chief Executive of QCA, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Libraries.
	 Letter from Andrew Hall, dated 23 April 2009:
	The Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families has asked the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) to respond to your question concerning the remuneration Dr. Ken Boston will receive between the date of his suspension from the QCA and 11 June 2009.
	I can confirm that the QCA expects to pay Dr. Ken Boston approximately 180,000 in that period, which brings his contract with the QCA to an end. This payment includes contractual entitlements only. No special severance payments will be made to Dr. Boston, except in so far as he will not be required to work out his full period of notice to 11 June 2009. Similarly, no performance bonus for this latest period nor any pension enhancement will be paid.

Outdoor education: Finance

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what support his Department has made available to  (a) small and  (b) independent organisations which provide learning experiences to develop their capacities and capabilities to meet the quality requirements of the Learning Outside the Classroom manifesto.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: As part of its pledge of support for the Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) manifesto, the Department, working with representatives from across the full range of organisations providing learning outside the classroom, has developed the LOtC Quality Badge. It is awarded to providers of any size who have pledged to engage in an on-going process to sustain high quality learning outside the classroom. For those organisations that provide activities that are deemed to have a lower requirement in terms of risk management there is a new 'Code of Practice'. This route includes an online self assessment and guidance, with a 10 per cent. sampling of Quality Assurance visits. Nine manifesto sectors for example, heritage, natural environment and arts and creativity, have champion trainers whose role is to lead training events for organisations interested in achieving the Quality Badge.
	This is not a compulsory scheme. However, we hope that providers will see the benefit of the Quality Badge in reviewing and improving their own offer. It provides a framework for organisations to work in partnership with schools, youth groups and local authorities, and be confident they are providing inspirational experiences that meet young people's needs.

Sixth Form Education: Finance

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what funding allocations have been made to schools in each London borough in respect of post-16 education in  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) 2009-10; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: holding answer 24 April 2009
	This is a matter for the LSC. Geoff Russell, the LSC's Acting Chief Executive will respond with the information the hon. Gentleman has requested. A copy of his reply will be placed in the House Libraries.
	We have been working across Government to identify additional funding for the recent unanticipated surge in demand for education and training in part due to these exceptional economic times. Thanks to the 655 million funding announcement in the Budget, we will be able to deliver this and more, and fund learning for an additional 54,500 young people this year and next.
	This will mean that we have funding for at least 1,550,000 for 2009/10 and 2010/11.

Special Educational Needs

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what procedures govern the establishment of non-maintained special schools.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: A school seeking approval as a non-maintained special school under section 342 of the Education Act 1986 has to meet the requirements of the Education (Non-Maintained Special Schools) (England) Regulations 1999. In broad terms a school has to be run by a charity or charitable trust on a not-for-profit basis, it has to meet the standards for schools in the maintained sector and has to have similar governance arrangements to a maintained school.
	Checks are also made to ensure the financial viability of a school before approval is granted.

Special Educational Needs

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families by what  (a) criteria and  (b) mechanisms funding is allocated to non-maintained special schools.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Non-maintained special schools have access to certain departmental capital and revenue funding streams. However, most funding for NMSSs is raised through fees for pupil placements paid by either local authorities or individual parents. The criteria used to allocate funding are dependent upon the funding stream. Where the funding stream is available to all NMSSs the most usual criteria used are: the number of pupils in a school, the number of pupils for which a school is approved or, in the case of funding relating specifically to teachers, the number of teachers with particular experience and qualifications. Where an application or bid is required for a funding stream then the application or bid has to meet the specific criteria applicable to that stream. Departmental funding is paid directly to NMSSs by the Department.